By Dr Asim Hussain
History will always remember Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in high-esteem. President Ayub Khan was forced by country-wide agitation to step down in March 1969 paving way for Pakistan’s first general elections in December 1970. SZAB’s PPP won election in western wing and eventually formed government in 1971.

ZA Bhutto had credit of forming first popularly elected government of Pakistan. ZA Bhutto deserves credit of inculcating political consciousness among people. With Bhutto, democracy was restored in Pakistan after long spell of despotism.

ZA Bhutto made masses realise, in way none had done before in Pakistan, that they were not non-entity, and that they had their rights as well as obligations as citizens of democracy. Popular expression ruti, kapra aur makan was not merely political slogan but driving force in arousing masses. Without having access to these necessities of life, people cannot be free. As one great revolutionary leader of last century puts it, starving man has no opinion. And only free people can fulfil their responsibilities as members of democratic order.

ZA Bhutto was strong believer in fate and for two decades his was intricately entwined with that of his often-turbulent nation. He became Pakistan’s youngest Cabinet minister, Bhutto was dominant force in Pakistani politics for two decades. World came to know him as master politician and spellbinding orator who skillfully maneuvered in Pakistani politics and forcefully defended interests of his country in United Nations and other international forums.

Architect of Pakistan’s entente with China in 1960’s as Foreign Minister, Bhutto became his nation’s leader in 1971 following disastrous war with India over East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. He had wide popular following and promised reform, representative government free of corruption and restoration of self-confidence in nation despondent in defeat.

 Democracy is essentially faith in power of people and only politically conscious people can constitute that power. Bhutto also took momentous decision that Pakistan start its nuclear programme in response to that of India. Fact that Bhutto government did not knuckle under tremendous pressure to abandon nuclear programme testifies to strong character of man at helm.

Late prime minister will also be remembered for presiding over fundamental shift in Pakistan’s foreign policy. Bhutto decided it was high time Islamabad shunned its dependence on Washington and instead looked to Muslim world for support and strength. Hosting of second OIC conference at Lahore in 1974 created at least semblance of Muslim unity. Way in which he faced gallows was nothing short of heroic. He was extraordinarily charismatic, eloquent and well-read.

History has generally been kind to Bhutto’s legacy, in that his stature has grown with time. Is he still ‘alive’, as PPP sympathisers like to claim? It appears that he is. It could be rightly said that the incumbent PPP government under the Chairmanship of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and party’s co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari is fervently following the same legacy, belief and the footprints of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto aimed at strengthening the democracy and tremendously working for the masses without any discrimination to uplift the economy of Pakistan and nurture the countrymen in the best way possible.

The darkest day in our country’s history was on April 4, 1979, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, first popularly elected prime minister of Pakistan and founder of country’s largest political party was executed after he had been convicted in murder case. Bhutto’s death closed one of stormiest chapters in Pakistan’s political history. It cannot be denied that late prime minister left an indelible mark on country’s history. Mr Bhutto founded Pakistan Peoples’ Party which to date remains Pakistan’s largest and most popular political party having nationwide appeal and an across-the-country base.

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 04 2023

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