Remembering Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto: The People’s Leader

My story of knowing Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto is not an ordinary story. He was the first man I came to know during the elections of 2008. My Grandfather who passed away this month was the main reason behind the fact that I have known Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for so long.  I was just 9 when I first time read about him in a book “Ayub,Bhutto and Zia. How they fell victim to their own plans”.  There is no doubt that he was extremely charismatic when I heard his speeches that he made in the past. My quest for reading the politics of South Asia began with Bhutto and Jinnah.

If the people of Pakistan had to name one man who has ruled the political arena  of Pakistan during 1970’s he is none other then  Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.  Also known as Zulfi among his friends. His life is of a hero. Born on 5^th of January 1928  in Al-Murtaza ,Larkana to Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto and Khursheed Begum.  Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was educated at the finest  aceademic institutions.  In Mumbai He was educated at Cathedral high school . In Mumbai he became friends with Piloo Mody the Indian politican who wrote a biography of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Mushtaq Ali  the famous Indian cricketer.  He was later sent to University of California, Berkeley where he earned a B.A (Hons) in Political Science. In 1950 he went to United Kingdom to study law at the Prestigious Oxford University.  Bhutto during his first meeting with the counselor at Oxford university tried to impress him with his past aceademic records that he achieved in Berkeley. However the counselor was not impressed and asked him to complete his postgraduate studies of law in three years since he did not know Latin. He further told him that even the best of their boys cannot do that. Bhutto could barely tolerate any insult or challenge.  He replied, “I will complete the course in two years” That he eventually did. Later after graduating, on a lighter note he said to his friend Piloo Mody that he still dreams about Latin.

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto married Nusrat Bhutto who had an Iranian Background and was educated at the convent of Jesus and Mary. It was a small wedding. It took place on 8^th of September 1951. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto  was called to the bar in 1953. He was enrolled in Lincoln’s Inn where Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah also studied law.

After his 30^th  birthday he flew to Geneva early in March 1958 to chair the Pakistan delegation to the united nations conference on the law of the sea. He became the Minister of Commerce in President Mirza’s Regime.  However when Mirza’s bags from politics were packed he became a minister of commerce in the era of Ayub Khan. Later on he became the Minister of Foreign Affairs during Ayub Khan’s government. Here he became extremely popular among the youth of Pakistan after he made a speech in the UN. However Bhutto did not agree with Ayub Khan on the Tashkent Agreement which was signed on the 10^th of January 1966. The agreement was all armed forces will withdraw to position held before 5^th August 1965. This had to happen because diplomatic relations had to be restored. Bhutto called this agreement a humiliation.  Ayub Khan forced him to go on a leave.  As he started his journey on a train from Rawal Pindi to Karachi and got off in Larkana. A lot of people came to welcome him and the scene at Lahore railway station was mesmerizing.

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto met J.A.Rahim in Paris and it was J.A.Rahim who convinced him that he should make a political party. According to Bhutto, ”J.A.Rahim was a socialist and modernist in his approach”. The party was named as Pakistan People’s Party. The manifesto of the party was, ”Islam is our faith,Democracy is our politics, Socialism is our economy and all power to the people.” It was the house of  Dr. Mubashar Hassan in Gulberg, Lahore where PPP was actually formed in December 1967. PPP was a unique party that was a blend of left wing and right wing politicians. All of them were stalwarts in politics of 1970’s. The party comprised of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto as the chairman. Where as other leaders who played a crucial role not only in the party but later on in the government were Mumtaz Bhutto, Dr Mubashar Hassan, Mairaj Muhammad Khan, Mairaj Khalid, Maulana Kausar Niazi, Mustafa Khar and the Lion of Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa Hayat Sherpao.

After the elections in 1970 and the break up of East Pakistan that became Bangladesh in 1971. PPP formed government in Pakistan. PPP took majority of the seats in Punjab and Sindh. PPP also managed to win a few seats in NWFP(Now KPK). After completing its first turn as a government PPP was accused of rigging the elections held in 1977 by the PNA. Mass agitations took place throughout the country and Bhutto finally decided to hold talks with the leaders of opposition. Bhutto and the PNA reached an agreement but Bhutto decided  to travel immediately to Saudia Arab and UAE. This proved to be a fatal mistake and General Zia  imposed martial law on 5^th of July 1977.

 Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was convicted of murdering  Ahmed Raza Kasuri’s father Nawab Muhammad Ahmed Kasuri by the Lahore High Court. It is said and widely believed that it was a judicial murder. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto is remembered as a hero in the politics of Pakistan. He will always be known as the man who inspired the youth of 1970’s.