Benazir Bhutto

Categories: Section stubs | 1953 births | Pakistani politicians | Prime Ministers of Pakistan | Women of Pakistan | Female heads of government | Democracy activists | Presidents of the Oxford Union | Former students of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford | Kurds

Benazir Bhutto became the first woman to lead a Muslim country in modern times when she was elected Prime Minister of Pakistan in 1988, only to be deposed 20 months later by the President of Pakistan Ghulam Ishaq Khan using the 8th Amendment to dissolve the parliament and allowing for re-elections within 90 days. She was re-elected in 1993 but was dismissed three years later amid various corruption scandals by the then President of Pakistan Farooq Leghari again using his discretionary powers under the 8th Amendment. Some of these scandals involve contracts awarded to Swiss companies during her regime. She was convicted by a Swiss court and has filed a petition on the decision which remain unresolved. Her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, has been implicated as well, and remained in jail until November 2004.

Early years

Benazir Bhutto - the eldest child of former Pakistani premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (an ethnic Sindhi) and Begum Nusrat Bhutto (who was of Kurdish-Iranian origin), was born in June 21, 1953 in Karachi.

Bhutto attended Lady Jennings Nursery School and then the Convent of Jesus and Mary in Karachi. After two years of schooling at the Rawalpindi Presentation Convent, she was sent to the Jesus and Mary Convent at Murree. She passed her O-level examination at the age of 15. In April 1969, she received admission to Harvard University's Radcliffe College. In June 1973, Benazir graduated from Harvard University with a degree in political science. After graduating from Harvard, Benazir joined Oxford University in the fall of 1973. Just before graduation, Benazir was elected to the standing committee of the most prestigious Oxford Union Debating Society.

In 1976, she graduated in PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics). In the autumn of 1976, Benazir returned once again to Oxford to do a one-year postgraduate course. In January 1977, she was elected president of the Oxford Union.

Imprisonment, elections and exile

After graduating, she returned to Pakistan, but in the course of her father's imprisonment and execution, she was placed under house arrest. Having been allowed in 1984, to go back to the UK, she was leader in exile of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), her father's party, but was unable to make her political presence felt in Pakistan until the death of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.

Then in the first open election in more than a decade, on November 16, 1988, Benazir's PPP won the single largest bloc of seats in the National Assembly. Bhutto was sworn in as Prime Minister of a coalition government on December 2, becoming the youngest (35 years old) and first woman to head the government of a Muslim-majority state in modern times.

After being dismissed by the then President of Pakistan under charges of corruption, her party lost the elections held in October 1990. She served as the leader of the opposition while Nawaz Sharif became PM for the next 3 years. Again in October 1993 elections were held which were won by the PPP coalition, thus returning Bhutto back into office till 1996 when once again her government was dismissed on corruption charges.

Bhutto has lived in self-imposed exile since 1999 when she left Pakistan to avoid arrest in a corruption case.

Charges of corruption

While she still heads the Pakistan People's Party and says she wants to return to office, most people in Pakistan are convinced that she and her husband were indeed extremely corrupt. Her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, served a seven-year prison term in Pakistan on charges of taking kickbacks. He was released in November 2004 [1]. It is alleged that they stole hundreds of millions of dollars by demanding 'commissions' on all types of government contracts and other dealings. The Bhutto governments also threw many journalists in jail and engaged in extra-judicial killings, especially against the MQM in Karachi. Her foremost contribution without any doubt was Pakistan's Foreign Policy which was strengthened and revitalized. Pakistan made new friends and maintained better relations with many countries.

Afghanistan policy

It was during Bhutto's rule that the Taliban gained prominence in Afghanistan whether or not with the assistance of her government is still unclear. She and her government have said that they only provided moral support and nothing more. The Taliban took power in Kabul in September 1996 and Bhutto's government became one of three nations to recognize it (The other two being Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates).

Policies for women

Despite many allegations of inept governance and corruption, Ms Bhutto gave importance to women while in power. Social issues of women, health and discrimination against women were all given importance. She aimed to set up women's police stations, courts and women's development banks.

Current scenario

In 2002 Pakistan's current President, Pervez Musharraf introduced a new amendment to Pakistan's constitution, banning Prime Ministers from serving more than two terms. This disqualifies Bhutto from ever holding the office again, and some said it was largely implemented due to the President's own fear of maintaining his power once democracy returned to the country.

Bhutto is currently (as of September 2004) based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where she cares for her children and her mother, who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease and from where she travels around the world giving lectures and keeping in touch with the Party faithful.

Benazir and her three children (Bilawal, Bakhtawar) were reunited with her husband and their father in December 2004 after a period of more than five years.

Books by Ms Bhutto

• {{{Author|{{{Last|}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{First}}}}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}| (1978)}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}}}}}}}|.}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}| "{{{Chapter}}}" in}} }|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|{{{Editor}}} }}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|2=[{{{URL}}}|3=}} Foreign Policy in Perspective}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|2=]|3=}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{Others}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{Pages}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, }}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|. }}

• {{{Author|{{{Last|}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{First}}}}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}| (1988)}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}}}}}}}|.}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}| "{{{Chapter}}}" in}} }|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|{{{Editor}}} }}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|2=[{{{URL}}}|3=}} The way out: Interviews, impressions, statements, and messages}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|2=]|3=}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{Others}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{Pages}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, Mahmood Publications}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|. }}

• {{{Author|{{{Last|}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{First}}}}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}| (1989)}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}}}}}}}|.}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}| "{{{Chapter}}}" in}} }|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|{{{Editor}}} }}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|2=[{{{URL}}}|3=}} Daughter of the East}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|2=]|3=}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{Others}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{Pages}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, Hamish Hamilton}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|. ISBN 0241123984}}

• {{{Author|{{{Last|}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{First}}}}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}| (1989)}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}}}}}}}|.}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}| "{{{Chapter}}}" in}} }|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|{{{Editor}}} }}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|2=[{{{URL}}}|3=}} Daughter of Destiny}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|2=]|3=}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{Others}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{Pages}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, Simon & Schuster}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|. ISBN 0671669834}}

• {{{Author|{{{Last|}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{First}}}}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}| (1990)}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}}}}}}}|.}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}| "{{{Chapter}}}" in}} }|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|{{{Editor}}} }}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|2=[{{{URL}}}|3=}} Benazir Bhutto defends herself}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|2=]|3=}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{Others}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{Pages}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, Rhotas Books}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|. }}

• {{{Author|{{{Last|}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{First}}}}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}| (1993)}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}}}}}}}|.}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}| "{{{Chapter}}}" in}} }|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|{{{Editor}}} }}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|2=[{{{URL}}}|3=}} Issues in Pakistan}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|2=]|3=}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{Others}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, {{{Pages}}}}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|, Jang Publishers}}}|1{{{1|}}}={{{3|}}}}}}|. }}

See also

• Pakistan
• Politics of Pakistan
• Prime Minister of Pakistan
• Category:Prime Ministers of Pakistan
• Category:Pakistani people
• Pakistan Peoples Party
• Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
• Nusrat Bhutto
• Ghinwa Bhutto
• Fatima Bhutto
• Murtaza Bhutto

External links

• Benazir Bhutto's extraordinary career
• Pakistan Peoples Party website
• Chronicles of Pakistande:Benazir Bhutto

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