“Today, we are observing the 18th martyrdom anniversary of a great leader, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. I had the honor of working closely with Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed in various capacities – as a party office-bearer, as a minister, as the Speaker of the national Assembly, and as the Senior Vice chairman of the party.
The vision and political philosophy of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto were clearly reflected among the people. She was a deeply committed and highly focused politician. She carried forward the political legacy of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in an exemplary manner. I firmly believe that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s decision to appoint Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto as his political successor was a wise and far-sighted one.
With her revolutionary thinking, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto not only upheld Shaheed Bhutto’s vision but also advanced his struggle further. She endured years of exile, faced immense hardships, suffered imprisonment, and bore great personal sacrifices, yet she never retreated. Through her unwavering struggle, she revived the Pakistan Peoples Party as the true party of the people, just as envisioned by Shaheed Bhutto.
When Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto returned to active politics, much of the senior party leadership had abandoned her and aligned themselves with the dictator General Zia-ul-Haq. In 1985, non-party-based elections were held, which the Pakistan Peoples Party boycotted. In hindsight, we believe that this boycott caused political damage, as many individuals elected on a non-party basis later joined the so-called King’s Party.
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto continued her struggle relentlessly. She approached the courts and ultimately succeeded in restoring party-based elections. Following this achievement, the Pakistan Peoples Party emerged victorious, and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto became the first woman Prime Minister of Pakistan and the first female Prime Minister of any Muslim country, assuming office at the young age of 35. She reorganized and strengthened the party further.
Her journey, however, was not easy. Many forces did not want a progressive, democratic, and globally respected leader to govern Pakistan. Conspiracies were hatched against her, acts of terrorism were carried out, and her elected government was dismissed. Yet, even after being removed from office, she resumed her struggle with renewed determination.
Through her international friends and partners, she exerted pressure on the military ruler General Pervaiz Musharraf to remove his uniform and announce free, fair, and transparent elections. Eventually, elections were announced. On 18th October, when she arrived in Karachi, she received a historic welcome attended by millions. On that very day, an attempt was made to eliminate her, but by the grace of Allah, she survived. Later, during the election campaign in Rawalpindi, the tragic incident occurred in which Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto embraced martyrdom.
I firmly believe that this was not merely a loss for the Pakistan Peoples Party, but an irreparable loss for the entire nation.