As a Pakistani citizen, I find the exaggerated government attention to former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's death anniversary tasteless and disturbing. And I have a strong reason for this. Before explaining it, let me just say something about Mr. Bhutto. I respect Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto because he was the prime minister of my country. I disagree with most of his policies and political style. He supported Pakistan's strategic programs and he brought the Arab and Muslim countries together. For this I am grategul to his memory. At the same time, I cannot but regret that ZAB played a major role, along with Mujib Rehman and Gen. Yahya Khan, in paving the way for India to violate international norms and intervene in East Pakistan. His economic policies destroyed a rising Pakistan and we haven't been able to recover ever since. The manner of Mr. Bhutto's execution after a court found him guilty of ordering the murder of one of his political opponents was not right. I emphasize the manner and not the execution itself because, althoug I wish he was pardoned, I have not seen any evidence that suggests that the court did not conduct a fair trial. President Zia ul Haq should have been fairer than he was in treating a former prime minister. Not exercising his power to pardon Mr. Bhutto is debatable. But not letting his family meet him before the execution was unnecessary harshness and reprehensible. The murder case itself, however, has been politicized in the debate that resulted from the harsh manner of the execution. There is evidence that Mr. Bhutto did resort to unusual tactics to deal with his opponents toward the end of his rule when he had also become authoritarian. I have not read for any lawyer who presented any evidence that the trial itself wasn't fair. But overall, I am proud of Mr. Bhutto as I am of most of the men, and one woman, who came to lead Pakistan after Independence. They were all unique and strong personalities with a mixed record. While there is nothing wrong if the PPP government wants to mark the execution of its founder, the exaggerated manner in which this is being done in tasteless to say the least. I object to placing the pictures of Mr. Bhutto, or his daughter Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, or the party flag, at equal level with the portraits of the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Only the Quaid's portrait and the flag of Pakistan should adorn the walls of the federal and provincial government offices. No political party should be permitted this violation that the PPP is committing. State-run PTV and almost all the private television channels have never celebrated the Quaid-e-Azam and his life the way they're doing now with Mr. Bhutto. Again, nothing's wrong if the PPP wants to mark this anniversary. But there should be a law that defines where a sitting government should put the memory of the Quaid-e-Azam and the other Founding Fathers and where it should place the memories of their party founders and heros. Party founders cannot be national heros. The Founding Fathers are, undisputably. I understand the tragic way in which Benazir Bhutto died. And I have no doubt that her brutal murder was part of a larger scheme to destabilize Pakistan, a scheme whose marks lead to 'non-state actors' in Washington and London. That's why I understand if the Information Ministry under Sherry Rehman arranged in 2008 for the PTV to produce an extravagant week-long event marking the life of the late Mrs. Bhutto-Zardari. This event was lavish and unprecedented. The PTV in its entire half a century never celebrated the life of the Quaid-e-Azam and the other Founding Fathers of Pakistan in the same way. Some PTV officials privately complained at the time that the extravagant celebration of a party leader was not the work of Ms. Rehman or the PPP itself but a desperate attempt by the director of PTV [Mr. Yousaf Baig Mirza, now the director of Dunya TV] to save his job. Needless to say, it didn't work and he was booted out. The point is this: All parties are free to eulogize their party heros the way they see fit. But a party in government cannot glorify a party leader in a way that overshadows the Quaid-e-Azam.
You couldn't be more correct on this. I have never liked this attitude of PPP whenever they are in power i.e. shoving their opinions down our throat. I still have to be convinced if Zulfiqar Bhutto or Benazir Bhutto (or any of their family members) are entitled to be termed as "Shaheed". True that Zulfiqar attempted to form an Islamic block which was definitely a commendable effort and If he died protecting the name of Islam, then he definitely deserves to be called Shaheed but the problem is how can I forget his other actions:
ReplyDelete1) Opening of a casino on clifton beach in karachi
2) Being an authoritarian rulers.
3) Allowing his friends and cohorts to roam around harrassing poor peasants (even raping their daughters)
4) Helping in creating Bangladesh.
5) Rigging 1977's election heavily
6) Killing his political opponents just to save his chair.
I don't know it is hard for me to swallow these hard pills.
Casual response: Now, what can one say to these people who are just a bunch of emotional arse lickers. their sole survival strategy is to keep sucking the standing heads...
ReplyDeleteNo, party should be allowed to use a portrait of their party head or party flag in any govt. institution, as govt. offices are meant to serve all Pakistanis and not only party supporters.
I already wrote something related to this on my blog under the title 'No, i am not going to hang Bibi's portrait on the wall' here:
ReplyDeletehttp://unitedstudentsfederation.blogspot.com/2009/01/no-i-am-not-going-to-hang-bibis.html
"The problem with changing the name of every infrastructure in this country to Benazir's is not that they are erasing away all the indigenous names of the items, it is they are slowly but surely moulding the very ideology of the natives of this land by enforcing them to be a part of this cult. She died for democracy or not, that is not the debate; the question is did she bring something new that everyone bought and scrupulously followed? Or did she give any new ideology that everyone, or even majority, take as a source of their redemption? The answer is no. She was just a national leader who got assassinated, just like Indira gandhi. Infact People of this country have been highly polarised over Bibi's personality whether she made a difference or if she contributed to our demise. Imposing the will of one section of the society in such situations always lead to conflicts. Lets accept the only real consensus we ever had was under Jinnah and on the ideology he gave us. If something needs resurrection then it is Jinnah's manifesto that, alas, we have long forgotten. Even the party which uses its name is miles away from following his principles. What the Quaid-e-Azam said on dangers of provincialism, intolerance, sectionalism, schism and parochialism still can serve as beacon of light in this darkness. If Zardari really had to take along a picture with him to the United Nation's floor, it would have been alot better, had it been Jinnah's."
Here's a comment from a PPP supporter, Mr. S. M. Iqbal. Very interesting: "There is a lot of difference in Mr.Bhutto and Bhuttoizm. You are worried about Bhuttoizm. The modern day tarnished image of Bhuttoizm is bordem. The unqualified and failed persons are using Bhuttoizm to cover their own failures and rying to get support of masses.
ReplyDeleteMr.Bhutto brought 100,000 armymen from India.
Mr.bhutto made Pakistan capable of Nukes.
Mr.bhutto brought muslim world togther.
Mr.Bhutto was declared innocent by a Judge who set in judgment and said that he was forced to give verdict of execution like other judges.
But the fake followers of Bhuttoizm are serving the interest of America despite knowing the fact that the US policies are against Pakistan and its forces.
You are right such type of exageration does not suit Pakistan. When we are suffering from load sheding, shortage of flour, pulses, rice,unemployment and terrorism and false propaganda against ISI and army institutions we should not indulge in such type of fake show of love with a dead person.At this stage there is a need to bring the nation on one plateform for getting ready to face upcoming challenges in the
name of War of Terror.
Aoa and dua'as to all! I 100 % agree with this. This is exactly what I and many who think like us have been feeling since this particular government has landed. They are going overboard in showing Benazir Bhutto as shaheed and putting her images everywhere and larger than our dearest respectable Muhammad Ali Jinnah. I am amazed that no one is around them to guide these "JAHIL" illiterate people of their actions. Our people need to be educated and made aware of these nonsense propagandas that these type of politicians do to manipulate our country. Thanks for writing this, it has been on my mind and bothering me too. Pakistanis need to unite and see things in perspective.
ReplyDeleteAhmed,
ReplyDeleteI am just wondering that you were very polite and lenient towards Bhutto just because he tried to bring Muslim world close to each other and tried to build Islamic block, this is just one positive part But ...... Catastophe starts when he, for the sake of his own power seed a plant to devide Pakistan and encouraged Mujib & co and gave full confidence to india to support the terror of Mukti bani. Although I agree that this guy had good leadership skills but I consider it his own ego against western imperialism. His downfall was a result of his lack of islamic ideology with politics, he had a mind of communist with big ego like Mao Zedong who build a secular poliical party baased on stupid slogan of Roti, Kapra aur Makan, I am sure that roti kapra aur makan was not a desperate need in 60's as it is now.
In today's context PPP should also add Bijli, Nokri along with roti kapra aur makan in order to have thier party survive otherwise inshalla this is the last time they are in power.
I am pretty sure that they are spening millions of Rs from government fund to celeberate this Bhutoism pseudo day.
You are 200% correct.
ReplyDeleteUnder the PPP this country feels like it is the private feifdom of the bhutto clan. We have that kid (billawal) who is being made out to be the crown prince of Pakistan. What exactly has he done for the nation to be next in line to rule over this poor country? These PPP jiyalas think that by naming every building, road, tree and nullah after the "shaheed" benazir bhutto we will all come flocking after the PPP flag and vote these looter politicians into power in the next elections, how dumb can these people be?
ReplyDeleteLast but not least, our TV anchors keep yapping on about how we have finally got democracy and how we need to preserve it. I ask, what democracy?? Non of our political parties is democratic. Can Gilani ever be voted as the party chairman? Can anyone other than Nawaz Sharif ever be head of PML-Nawaz? Not one man or woman in Pakistan voted for zardari and yet here we have a criminal like him sitting on the Pakistani throne. So what democracy are we all talking about? There is no democracy in Pakistan, there is either the military dictatorship or the Civilian lootairaship, and I for one prefer our educated, dedicated and patriotic men of the military.
So what's new? People without an identity always have been, and always will be, goaded by goons to be the ones they never wanted to be. If today we see Bhutto portraits tarnishing our Muslim Pakistani identity, tomorrow it will be Sharifs, Walis, etc.
ReplyDeleteWe keep ranting about the bovine bowel movement endlessly. The question is: "what are we going to do about it, and wheNNN?
WHEN will the leading conscientious Pakistanis rally the conscientious masses to reclaim our resources, destiny, honor, and faith?
I'm so sad and ashamed to see the PPP flags and the family saga potraits hung up on every billboard and electric poles of the city especially Clifton...
ReplyDeleteI, on perverse moment feel like tearing apart the flags down and vandalising the billboards.
The slogan of Pakistan First' has been swiftly replaced by 'Jeay Bhutto'...which is so annoying...
How can the PPP party even dare to compare Benazir Zardari/Bhutto to our founder - Quaid-e-Azam who had actually made a separate nation for the Muslims after bloodshed sacrifice while she has not done anything fruitful for the country except allowed her husband to increase their bank balances, destroy the country and run off to save her skin.
I condemn that the term 'Shaheed' be used for her and her father as they had not died fighting a war to save their country or Islam in any means.
When will we get rid of these so-called saviors of Islam (Nawaz Sharif) and Shaheeds (BB) for good from further ruining this country.
Regards,
A.A
" Party founders cannot be national heroes" What sort of a twisted logic is that. Is the founder of Pakistan's nuclear program not a national hero? Is the man who gave Pakistan an independent foreign policy and established our strong friendship with China not a national hero? Is the man who brought back our pows and land back from India without a fight not a national hero? It's really sad when we just confine such personalities as Mr. Bhutto to a single political party.
ReplyDeleteSecondly ZAB did not help in creating Bangladesh. East Pak was a gone case anyways. Bangladesh was the creation of long years of wrong policies. Anyone who thinks that Mujib ur Rehman would have become Prime minister of Pakistan and kept it united surely cannot be serious.
And do you really think that it's the PPP's exaggerated celebrations that have kept the Bhutto name alive for thirty years?? Nope. Admit it or not people still love him. And not the rich ones.
I agree that the Quaid e azam has a place of his own and no one can equal him. we should celebrate him with equal passion or even more so. but i think there might be an element of guilt behind these exaggerated celebrations for ZAB.
Lastly Bhutto's trial was not FAIR. NOT FAIR. A judge and Col. Rafique have confessed!!
I STRONGLY disagree with TJ. I don't believe in cult-like worship of any leader specially the ones after MA Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever seen huge pictures of Clinton or Obama placed in their august houses instead of founding fathers. I don't mind if the picture of the serving premier is placed in a hall along with all the other premiers of the past.
But just to pick the picture of Bhuttos and make them the very important personalities of the nation equivalent to Jinnah is ABSURD and MISUSE of authority.
Other nation of the world do the right thing for the country but they don't remove the pictures of the founder and place theirs instead.
What have Bhuttos really done to deserve the love of the nation?
I have only seen negativity associated with them. Was Benazir struggling for democracy? HELL NO.
She was struggling for power. Whenever she was ousted, she would start visiting Washington and cutting deals with them only to be back in power and these deals were usually against Pakistan's interest.
What have they done to remove poverty? What contributions did they make towards building infrastructure? Only change that Benazir brought was population control which is basically the neocon agenda to remove poverty from the world. Neocons have planned to remove poverty by killing the poor people through diseases, wars, and famines.
Bhutto's trial was fair. He killed his political opponents. Why should he be spared the natural process of cause and effect?
I have always been moved by the song 'Ae Rah e Haq k Shaheedo'. The way it personifies the image of the Army, and the feeling of patriotism felt by a common man. The latest video of the song with Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto images disturbed me for different reasons. I wish I could change the posters, banners and billboards as easily as I could change the TV channel. Disgraceful.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Benazir bhutto is not equal ZA bhutto. The PPP since has tried to basque in the glory of ZA Bhutto. But his execution was wrong, pakistan was a basket case after 1971, the entire world was predicting pakistan imminent downfall. Through his reforms his fights for the working class, his hard work at simila, how he reduced the influence of 22 families, his mass industrialization, his support to the arabs in the 6 day war by sending PAF jets. The world feared ZA bhutto, just like operation ajax in iran 1953, ZA bhutto was removed in a CIA sponsored Coup,
ReplyDeleteZia was the WORST thing to happen to pakistan, he made us dependent on aid, ZIA finances were not sustainable , as soon as USA pulled the plug on funding pakistan was screwed and found that the USA froze money we paid them for Fighet Jets.
Zia opened up extremist madrassas, he was a sub servant to Saudi Arabia, he made nawaz shariff his puppet and till this pakistan has never had a true patriotic elected politician, we have been going downhill ever since ZA Bhutto was killed
However, having said that, PTV should remain impartial and not give more focus on ZA bhutto just because the PPP are in power and certainly ZA bhutto should not be given the same status as Father of pakistan.
It seems to me, you like the military rule of Pakistan no matter what the military ruler did. Zia was the worst thing to happen to pakistan apart from perhaps zardari , the trial zia conducted was of course a farce, as was zia version of islam. Americans always said they would punish ZA Bhutto , I guess they were successful in sponsoring the coup, paralzing the government, by paying people to not work, similar to colour revulsions in Europe
Pakistan Zindbad
On 4th April 1979, a dictator Zia Ul Haq oversaw a judicial murder of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. We must not let this kind of thing happen again and the only way to stop us from repeating history is by not forgetting history.
ReplyDeletehttp://real-politique.blogspot.com
By Sikander Hayat
I never said there should be a cult like following of anyone Mr. Asher.
ReplyDeleteBut surely Mr.Bhutto deserves our love and respect. You ask why Bhutto should be loved. I'll tell you why;
1. He restored the honor and dignity of the nation and most importantly the armed forces after the disgrace of 1971.
2. he got back our soldiers and 5000 acres of our 'sohni dharti' from our staunchest enemies for nothing.
3.He did not bow down to American pressure and had the vision to establish friendly relations with China without which we would have been quite friendless in the region and perhaps the world.
4. He defended Pakistan passionately and with a brilliance that is unparalleled in our history on all international forums like the united nations. You've got to see it to believe it. I hope you didn't miss his address to the U.N. on ptv today.
5. He gave the country its first unified constitution within two years of rule; a feat that could not be achieved in the previous 25 years.
6. He founded our nuclear program. That in itself is enough to make us grateful to him, for you know very well what would have been our fate had we not been a nuclear power.
you do not like it that Bhutto's pictures are placed beside our Quaid's, fine. Fair enough. But you can't hate Bhutto for it. He was a sincere, nationalist Pakistani and a great leader. To think that no leader other than the Quaid can be loved or revered is silly and illogical. I love all those people who have done great services to my country.
And please don't talk about what the americans do or don't do. They are hardly as passionate a people as we are.
History is the biggest proof that Bhutto's trial was unfair. Had he deserved it Bhutto would have died the night he was hanged.
You people whine 24-7 that our leaders should have more guts, that they should guard our interest fearlessly. In ZAB we had such a leader.
Mr TJ,
ReplyDeleteI just don't get the feeling of sincerity and loyalty when thinking about the stuff that Bhutto did. True that as a Foreign Minister, he supported (or seem to) the interest of Pakistan. He was more known as arrogant and over-confident. He might have done a few thing good for Pakistan for which I am grateful but that does NOT make him equivalent to Jinnah. Mahatir Bin Mohammed has done a whole lot more for Malaysia and DESERVES to be truly loved by the nation. Did Zulfiqar protect Pakistan just like Mahatir? No. He compromised the interests of Pakistan on many occasions as well specially when his power was in jeopardy. Instead of resolving 1971 crisis, he preached the policy ( tum udhar, hum idhar), he spoke so much evil against Bengalis. He attempted to incite hatred and dislike against bengalis in one of his speeches (...voh Bhar mein Jaain). Try to find that speech on youtube. A sincere leader would never break Pakistan and compromise Pakistani interests for personal gains. I can never forgive him for breaking East Pakistan even if it was a lost case because there were things that could have been done to overturn the election result.
What really has he done to improve the condition of poor people in Sindh? Did he outlaw feudalism? Did he inundate interior Sindh with school, colleges and micro-credit schemes to improve the local economy. True that he made atomic bomb or was trying to form an Islamic block but he did destroy Pakistan's economy by nationalizing it.
Our people are cultic followers of leaders. The performance of our politicians should be evaluated very strictly. Just because they do one thing good should not extricate them from other crimes that they performed.
It's ms. tj.
ReplyDeleteI am not a cult follower of Mr. Bhutto. I have never placed him equal to Mr. Jinnah. What makes you think that. if i say i love and respect him what makes you assume that i dont love and respect Jinnah more.
Bhutto was not responsible for the separation of east Pakistan. Mujib ur Rehman and Yahya were immediately responsible where as years of wrong policies brought us to that point. Go back and read mujib's six points and realise their implications.
You speak of the atomic bomb as if it is nothing. I tell you it is everything. It is the reason we have survived. A nation can live hungry but not without honor. that's what Zaid hamid said. i agree with him.
Bhutto's nationalisation policy failed. I agree. But it was a policy tried in Pakistan for the first time after Ayub's 22 families this was seen as away to transfer assets to all Pakistanis. Maybe it wasn't implemented properly. But we must also realise that sanctions were imposed on us bc of our nuclear policy as they are on all democratic govts of Pak. so our economy didnt do well, i agree. But i never claimed that everything Bhutto did was right.But he was right where it mattered most. That's why i like him.
As to what he has done for the poor, the most important thing is that he brought Pakistani politics out of the drawing rooms to them. he gave them a voice. five years aren't enough to alleviate poverty. Go ask the poor why they love him. Don't ask me. I saw a tv anchor ask a poor cobbler why he had come to welcome benazir when she came back. he said its because bhutto used to come to us when we didnt have slippers on our feet.
Dear Ms. tj and Mr. Hasher,
ReplyDeleteI dont get it why we are fighting for if Mr. ZAB was good or evil, As Ahmed already mentioned and I agree fully that most of our national leaders (Leaders not heroes) were and are mix bag of good and bad. The Issue is does Mr. ZAB or Bibi or another for that matter deserve their portrait to be hanged in Govt Offices along with Quaid e Azam. and the Answer is NO a big NO.
and on Mr. ZAB,
for me he was not so clear about his own policies. Or he was just another fame hungry power wanting feudal lord created by Gen. Ayub Khan.
1. He carried on some policies of which he was the biggest critics when he started a drift with President Ayub.
2. He tried to nationalize the whole country but never did anything against feudalism's (he himself was one)
3. He did nothing for the poor except going and meeting them (Just for publicity) but he won the election on Roti, Kapra and Makan.
4. He tried to build a Islamic bloc but allowed all non Islamic tradition in the country (Casinos, Clubs, Pubs etc)
5. He named his party Peoples Party but refused to accept the election result in which people voted Mr. Mujeeb ur Rehman
Shahid said...
ReplyDeleteIf I say that I have never seen in last 60 years special trains being scheduled to run to Karachi for any event connected with Qaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah The father of the Nation. It say it all.
Shahid Raza
April 9, 2009 1:44 PM
ZA bhutto was killed by the very people organization , which was suppose to defend him , its a tragedy. The entire army high command stood as Zia went about killing bhutto in broad day light and turning the country into a jihadi recruiting zone, effects we feel till this day .
ReplyDeleteBhutto economic growth may have been slow, but pak had sanctions economic and arms embargo. Bhutto did not have to go to IMF ,growth lead to was more equal under bhutto. With Mushraff and PPP, we go to IMF , even though we were in a strong position to negotiate trade agreements with the west following our role in the war on terror. That shine has come off now, with most countries (poland) accusing ISI of helping terrorist and ' do more' why dosnt france, germany all the other NATO countries do more
Despite all these funny allegations levelled against Z.A. Bhutto, the question is, could Pakistan ever produce a free politician like him be it civil or armed. The answer is no............. and that's all folks.
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with Shan.There are as many good flowers that will grow as have grown so far. Besides we already had Musharraf who has been a victim of revenge just as the earlier leader
ReplyDeleteThank you Mr. Qureshi for deleting my comment. I guess it hurt you. When we criticize or write against others, we should have the courage to face criticism on us by others.
ReplyDelete