Benazir Bhutto, the two-term prime minister of Pakistan seen widely as poised for a third term in the high office, was assassinated on December 27, 2007 in Rawalpindi. Her tragic death became a catalyst for the downfall of an entrenched dictatorship in Pakistan. A Harvard and Oxford alumnus, she is remembered by those who had the occasion to meet her as eloquent, persuasive, charming and confident. She was a firm advocate of women’s rights and their representation in all fields of life. During her two stints in power - from 1988 to 1990 and 1993 to 1996, she initiated liberal and progressive policies. Her impact on foreign policy, media and labour laws was huge.
She freed the media from the Zia era restrictions. Also, she successfully projected a soft image of the country during her numerous foreign visits. She also continued some of her father ZA Bhutto’s popular policies. Her detractors used fake news and other underhand tactics to discredit her governments. After the dismissal of both her governments, she had to face politically-motivated prosecution and victimization. However, she stood firm and tall.
To many, she was a symbol of women empowerment, their education and emancipation throughout her life and afterwards. Her dominant presence on the Pakistani political scene irked most conservatives and made her a target of extremists. However, she refused to condone extremism, militancy in the name of religion and voiced her opposition to the growing threat of militancy. This eventually led to her assassination on her return to Pakistan.
In the subsequent elections, her party formed the national government that completed its tenure. It was she who laid the groundwork for the restoration of democracy in the country both after the Zia and Musharraf eras.
Thirteen years after her death, given the crisis of leadership and the mess the national politics are in, a look at her legacy may be instructive.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/764230-editorial
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