Daily Times

Finally, Pakistan’s top civilian and military leadership opted to launch the Istehkam-e-Pakistan operation amid the country’s deteriorating security situation. But without eradication of the mindset of terrorism, it is a distant dream to eliminate terrorism. Parliament is the Supreme forum to strengthen democracy in Pakistan and eradicate the mindset of terrorism.

To eradicate terrorism from Pakistan, the people of Pakistan and both civilian and military leadership have made great sacrifices. The first elected female prime Minister of the Muslim world, Benazir Bhutto, wrote history with her blood to eradicate the mindset of terrorism. Since 1977 when she entered practical politics, she faced much opposition from Pakistan’s right wing extremist lobby for her secularist and human rights approach to making an inclusive society.

In 2006, a book titled “Women Who Changed The World”, published by Smith Davies, noted 50 “inspirational” women, in humankind’s history – 5000 years back till the publishing year of 2006 –, women who remained trailblazers for the world and transformed the world and positively made an impact and wrote history. Islamic world’s first democratically elected female prime Minister and then head of the pioneering political party of democracy in Pakistan, Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, stood on top along with Thatcher for her contribution to bring change in the world. She is the only Muslim woman on the list.

The first elected female prime Minister of the Muslim world, Benazir Bhutto, wrote history with her blood to eradicate the mindset of terrorism.

The book paid a stand ovation to Benazir Bhutto for being the first woman to lead a Muslim nation where there was a strong presence of religious fanaticism and a patriarchal system, she contributed her role to improving the conditions of women, marginalized and the underprivileged in Pakistan. Her struggle against dictatorship and martial law is also unforgettable. The book covers all aspects and those 50 women who are honoured made unmatchable contributions to the fields of human endeavour, politics, literature, art, science, music, social reform, entertainment, sport and adventure. This is indeed a great honour and recognition of her life.

Apart from it many other recognitions and awards including the United Human Rights Award during her life and a posthumous conferred to Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed for her services to democracy, peace and human rights in the world. Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was a visionary leader. She was committed to her homeland and her beloved country. She struggled for democracy in Pakistan within the country and abroad. When she returned to Pakistan on October 18, 2007, her nation was under siege facing threats from terrorists and a dictator desperate to cling on to power.

Despite visible threats to her life, she vowed to fight against terrorists’ mindset and was of the view that the war on terror can never be won until and unless such mentality and thought is eradicated globally. She called such thought a hindrance to establishing democracy in Muslim countries. And eventually, she gave her life for this great cause. Both the UN Commission and Scotland Yard held Baitullah Mehsood responsible for her killing. Though terrorists physically snatched her from her followers her legacy is the touchstone, and it is to be followed, her party has been fighting against terrorism successfully but still, terrorists’ mindset exists inside the country and abroad.

In 1993, global terrorist Osama bin Laden financed two plots to assassinate Benazir Bhutto prior to the elections. Both attempts were masterminded by Ramzi Yousef, the notorious terrorist and bomb-maker who was later convicted of the first World Trade Center bombing.

Terrorist mindset engulfed three important leaders of the world who were working for global peace. The legend of the legends, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed was assassinated by terrorists of Al-Qaeda and TTP in 2007 as she was leaving after addressing a huge public rally in Liaquat Bagh Rawalpindi to restore democracy and peace in Pakistan, Lebanon’s prime minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated by terrorists of Hezbollah in 2005, and Israel’s prime minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by right wing Israeli extremist groups at ‘Yes to peace’ rally in 1995.

Long ago Benazir Bhutto had hinted that world democracies are fragile and during her own 1989 commencement address at Harvard entitled “Democratic nations must unite.” She had given a global agenda for the world to get united to strengthen the democracies to ensure human rights globally. Benazir Bhutto was a living legend.

As the shocking news of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination broke, the entire world was in deep shock and grief, all country heads, international organizations and non-government organizations condemned it but Al-Qaeda and TTP. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting and unanimously condemned the assassination, a call echoed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Both European Union President José Manuel Barroso and US President George W Bush vowed to protect democracy while following the legacy of Benazir Bhutto.

Whenever any incident of terrorism happens in the world, world leaders quote the example of the great Benazir Bhutto’s courage and bravery. Recently in the year 2019, terrorism hit New Zealand and Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Arden paid a standing ovation to the great Bhutto for her sacrifices for peace, Jacinda Arden also appealed to world leaders to follow the legacy of Benazir Bhutto to fight the mindset of terrorism.

The latest report of the Global Terrorism Index (GTI), is very alarming and a wake up call for the world. In the view of resurgence of terrorism in the world, world leaders and international organizations must call emergency meetings to fight the mindset of terrorism while following the legacy of the legend the great Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed to ensure global peace in the world.

The writer is a senior journalist and TV analyst.