Benazir Bhutto
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Tags: Military & Government, Pakistan, Prime Minister By: Richard |
Background
Benazir Bhutto was born on June 21, 1953 in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. She was the daughter of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Ms. Bhutto completed her early education in Pakistan and then pursued her higher education in the United States. From 1969 to 1973 she attended Radcliffe College at Harvard University where she obtained her BA cum laude. She was also elected to Phi Beta Kappa. From 1973 to 1977 she studied in England at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford.
In 1977, Ms. Bhutto’s father former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was removed from office following a military coup. He was sentenced to death. And, despite the accusations being widely doubted and despite many clemency appeals from foreign leaders, acting President General Zia had Zulfikar Ali Bhutto hanged on April 4, 1979. Benazir Bhutto and her mother were held in a ‘police camp’ until after the execution. Ms. Bhutto saw two of her brothers killed: Shahnawaz in France in 1985 and Mir Murtaza in 1996.
The First
In 1984, Benazir Bhutto returned to the United Kingdom and became a leader in exile of her father’s part the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). In 1988, Bhutto’s party won the largest block of seats in the National Assembly. Ms. Bhutto was sworn in as the Prime Minister of a coalition government on December 2, 1988. At 35 she became the youngest person and the first woman to head the government of a Muslim state in modern times. Bhutto’s government was dismissed in 1990 and elections were held again in 1993 and her PPP coalition was victorious returning Bhutto to office. Bhutto continued her reform agenda. Bhutto’s government worked tirelessly in its efforts to help women’s social and health issues, including discrimination against women. She continued her reform initiatives until 1996 when amidst various corruption scandals; Bhutto was dismissed by then-president Farooq Leghari.
Return To Pakistan
Benazir Bhutto remained in exile in London and Dubai, United Arab Emirates until 2007. On October 5, 2007, President Pervez Musharaf signed the National Reconciliation Ordinance which gave full amnesty to Bhutto and other political leaders. Bhutto was prepared to return to Pakistan.
Benazir BhuttoIn an interview on September 28, 2007, with reporter Wolf Blitzer of CNN, Ms. Bhutto readily admitted the possibility of attacks against herself. Despite the concerns Bhutto returned to Karachi on October 18, 2007 to prepare for the 2008 National Elections.
En route to a rally in Karachi on October 18, 2007, there were two explosions targeting Bhutto. She was not injured but the suicide-bomb attack killed 136 people and injured nearly 450. The dead included at least 50 of the security guards from Bhutto’s PPP who had formed a human shield around Bhutto’s truck.
Assassination
On December 27, 2007, Benazir Bhutto was killed while leaving a campaign rally for the PPP at Liaquat National Bagh, where she had given a speech in preparation for the January 2008 parliamentary elections. After entering her bulletproof vehicle, Bhutto stood up through its sunroof to wave to the crowds. A gunman fired shots and shortly thereafter a suicide bomber detonated explosives killing approximately 20 people. Bhutto was critically wounded and was rushed to Rawalpindi General Hospital. She was taken into surgery and there pronounced dead.
Benazir Bhutto was a hero to all those that cry for freedom. She watched as her father was hanged and her brother’s killed; yet, she sought to help her nation that she so deeply loved. Heroes often walk where others dare not go. Tyranny often kills the dreamer but never the dream!
‘…………….And the world will be better for this that one (woman) , scorned and covered with scars still strove with (her) last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable star………….’
Benazir Bhutto was born on June 21, 1953 in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. She was the daughter of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Ms. Bhutto completed her early education in Pakistan and then pursued her higher education in the United States. From 1969 to 1973 she attended Radcliffe College at Harvard University where she obtained her BA cum laude. She was also elected to Phi Beta Kappa. From 1973 to 1977 she studied in England at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford.
In 1977, Ms. Bhutto’s father former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was removed from office following a military coup. He was sentenced to death. And, despite the accusations being widely doubted and despite many clemency appeals from foreign leaders, acting President General Zia had Zulfikar Ali Bhutto hanged on April 4, 1979. Benazir Bhutto and her mother were held in a ‘police camp’ until after the execution. Ms. Bhutto saw two of her brothers killed: Shahnawaz in France in 1985 and Mir Murtaza in 1996.
The First
In 1984, Benazir Bhutto returned to the United Kingdom and became a leader in exile of her father’s part the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). In 1988, Bhutto’s party won the largest block of seats in the National Assembly. Ms. Bhutto was sworn in as the Prime Minister of a coalition government on December 2, 1988. At 35 she became the youngest person and the first woman to head the government of a Muslim state in modern times. Bhutto’s government was dismissed in 1990 and elections were held again in 1993 and her PPP coalition was victorious returning Bhutto to office. Bhutto continued her reform agenda. Bhutto’s government worked tirelessly in its efforts to help women’s social and health issues, including discrimination against women. She continued her reform initiatives until 1996 when amidst various corruption scandals; Bhutto was dismissed by then-president Farooq Leghari.
Return To Pakistan
Benazir Bhutto remained in exile in London and Dubai, United Arab Emirates until 2007. On October 5, 2007, President Pervez Musharaf signed the National Reconciliation Ordinance which gave full amnesty to Bhutto and other political leaders. Bhutto was prepared to return to Pakistan.
Benazir BhuttoIn an interview on September 28, 2007, with reporter Wolf Blitzer of CNN, Ms. Bhutto readily admitted the possibility of attacks against herself. Despite the concerns Bhutto returned to Karachi on October 18, 2007 to prepare for the 2008 National Elections.
En route to a rally in Karachi on October 18, 2007, there were two explosions targeting Bhutto. She was not injured but the suicide-bomb attack killed 136 people and injured nearly 450. The dead included at least 50 of the security guards from Bhutto’s PPP who had formed a human shield around Bhutto’s truck.
Assassination
On December 27, 2007, Benazir Bhutto was killed while leaving a campaign rally for the PPP at Liaquat National Bagh, where she had given a speech in preparation for the January 2008 parliamentary elections. After entering her bulletproof vehicle, Bhutto stood up through its sunroof to wave to the crowds. A gunman fired shots and shortly thereafter a suicide bomber detonated explosives killing approximately 20 people. Bhutto was critically wounded and was rushed to Rawalpindi General Hospital. She was taken into surgery and there pronounced dead.
Benazir Bhutto was a hero to all those that cry for freedom. She watched as her father was hanged and her brother’s killed; yet, she sought to help her nation that she so deeply loved. Heroes often walk where others dare not go. Tyranny often kills the dreamer but never the dream!
‘…………….And the world will be better for this that one (woman) , scorned and covered with scars still strove with (her) last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable star………….’
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