Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Remembered

ZAB single handedly destroyed Pakistan. By nationalizing the Banks, he opened the gates of corruption that cannot be closed. By nationalizing the industries he retarded the economic growth, brought the incompetent and corrupt bureaucrats and politicians into the boardrooms, and made thriving private companies such as Valika, that could have become Tata of Pakistan, disappear altogether. By nationalizing private schools such as Habib Public School, he screwed up the secular education system. By declaring Ahmadis “kafirs” he instigated and unleashed the mullahs to commit mass murder of those poor souls with impunity. He is the one responsible for splitting Pakistan.

Pakistan would have been a lot better country today if it weren’t for ZAB. He was corrupt to the core, inept, and without a vision. A true demagogue, he was popular only because he could make public speeches with thunder. That’s it. He is the one responsible for the Zia legacy and the Army’s entrenchment into Pakistan’s all spheres of life. This article is a classic example of an ignorant and a pathetic demagogue who had done so much long term harm to his country being turned into an icon and hailed as a “genius”. What a farce.

ZAB should be remebered.. for all the harm he did to Pakistan and the the evil he unleashed.

Aside from being the only national leader, he was a bit of both.

ZAB was a thug, pure and simple.

A good article...

Requires no further elaboration.

He made Pakistan a guinea pig for Islamic Socialism. Implicitly he coveted power and nuclear was one best currency.

Ironic that the clock turned full circle and he was finally acknowlegded as the father of the bomb. In contrast the other crook met his waterloo through proliferation.

So what is the lesson in these contrasts spaced 25 years in between.

Dear Ras Siddiqui,
Thanks for reporting the San Pablo event.
[I don`t think there can ever be a consensus on ZAB. I remember people immolating themselves in protest, after his hanging. And I have met people who wonder why was he hanged only once.
Chances are we will be confused even after reading Wolpert.]
C.

i would have to disagree with all due respect with Dr. Khwaja Ashraf. what pakistan does not need more than ever is another Bhutto.

Wolpert’s Zulfi Bhutto makes interesting reading. As does Balakh Sher Mazari`s, ``A Journey to Disillusionment.``

If there was one man, after Jinnah, who could have changed the destiny of Pakistan, it was Bhutto. He could have been the Lee Kuan Yu of Pakistan. He was a brilliant politician. Pakistan has yet to see a politician of his caliber. He was extremely articulate. He wrote and spoke beautifully. He was energetic. He was from the core powerful elite class of Pakistan – the Sindhi feudals. Yet he had a genuine awami following (in West Pakistan). He was popular all over West Pakistan. He was highly educated. His father’s name was well-known.

The guy had everything going for him. Yet, in the end, he let his faults completely overshadow his virtues. What was his biggest fault? He was far too ambitious and self-centered. To the point of destroying his own country, just to fulfill his own ambitions. His career is filled with tragic events for Pakistan, in which everyone, except he, himself, lost out.

His second fault was that when push came to shove, he let his feudal personality dominate of his socialist politics.

Bhutto had no issues in joining a military govt., under Ayub. He even advised and encouraged Ayub to get into the 65 war. After the war, when Ayub finally agreed to a truce with India, Bhutto exploited the opportunity to the fullest, and used Pakistan’s retreat on Kashmir as the basis of his new political party’s agenda. His speeches of that time, are filled with references to Kashmir.

Bhutto lost the election in 71, thoroughly, to Mujib. This would, and should, have been the end of his political ambition of becoming the PM of Pakistan. Due to the demographics of Pakistan, Mujib would have continued to win subsequent elections, and Bhutto could never become a PM. So Bhutto got Pakistan into another war. After the war, as Yahya and Co. were licking their wounds, Bhutto once again benefited from it. The only way Bhutto could have become the PM was if Bangladesh separated. It did, due to a great extent to Bhutto`s actions, and Bhutto was back on top again.

He came up with the 1973 Constitution. And then tore it apart, completely and immediately, through all kinds of amendments. He jailed his political opponents, left and right. He was truly a dictator. In fact, Bhutto and Zia are the only two true, ``dictators`` that Pakistan has had.

He then used populist politics and nationalized Pakistan’s fast-growing economy, for short-term political gains. Instead of nationalizing Pakistans` feudals` holdings. This is the biggest tragedy in the history of Pakistan. Pakistan would have been a relatively wealthy country, by now, inspite of political issues, had the economy not been nationalized. Pakistan was taught as an economic case-study in Harvard in the late 60s (Shahid Javed Burki). Pakistan had done in the 60s, what India is only now starting to do in its economy.

He appointed Zia as the COAS, completely out of turn, breaking all traditions. And eventually paid for it, with his own life.

The list goes on and on.

I think Bhutto could have played a constructive role, had Mujib been allowed to become a PM. Being a vulnerable leader of the opposition, would have served Bhutto well. It would have made him more humble. His party would have developed much stronger roots outside the feudal circles.

I think his epitaph would be, “He talked the patriotic talk, but did not walk the walk.”

He sounds like the Indira Gandhi of Pakistan...a leader who thought the destiny of his country and his family were one and the same thing but whose rule was responsible ultimately for the rot of institutions, corruption and violence by the state against its citizens (Punjab was Indira Gandhis Bangladesh)

My grandfather, always tells me stories about different politicians of Pakistan and when he talks about Zulffi, I listen to him with great intrest,
one of the stories is that Zulfi was with some of his high-level Arab friends and he was offering them beers in glass and in sindi he mentioned to one of his servents in Larkana that mix the beer with Murry Beer (one of Pakistan`s famous local beer) and later on-wards one of his Arab friends mentioned him ` Bhutto Saab Pakistani Beer Bhe Buhat Ache Hai -- yeh milawat kyoon ?` * Mr.Bhutto Pakistani Beer is good enough why mix it with something else?`
and Zulfi laughed!
My Grandfather was one of the anti-Bhutto Gen`s of that time-- was present at the time when Bhutto got hanged -- according to him Bhutto was so scared that his urine was all over the jail-- that night!

correction #8: Elections in december 1970 and january 1971......

#9 by labyrinth1 on April 20, 2004 4:10pm PT
If he would have been a timid person. He would have asked for mercy from Zia, which he didnt. He was a man of honor who choosed to die instead of lowering his down. The same zia who wanted to get rid of him is risponsible for his popularity. I can bet that if Bhutto would have not been killed, i would be hating him for his wrong doing. This zia`s act is responsible for creating bhutto`s jiyalas. I also call myself one.
If what u told about this urine story was true, every one would have known it. Not even a single person, including that brigadier who was to implement his execution and was there at bhutto cell every time has ever come up with it.


Imran Hafeez

#10 by PunjabiZulu on April 20, 2004 4:10pm PT
I agree that corruption started in ZAB`s period but not monetarily but in terms of bending the rules of institutions for oneself. It was actually in dictator Zia`s period it reached to its worst. Now a days this sectarian violance in which approx 3000 shias have been killed , this corruption in every department, Armies high handedness, is a gift of greatest of all general zia.

Imran Hafeez
Islamabad

ZAB was the greatest leader of this century and centuries to come. Those who think that he was a bullshit and didn’t do anything; I have one question from them. Why after 25 years of his death his party gets largest number of votes. Why people get emotional on this ZAB saga. I came into this world, when he had gone. I read authentic/unbiased books on him like Stanleys wolpert’s “Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan”, Mazari’s(Bhutto’s opponenent) “Journey of Disillusionment” and Benazir’s “Daugter of the East”. After reading these books I have come to conclusion that he does many wrong things but still his good deeds and steps far outweigh his bad ones. Pakistan would suffer for decades to come due to those bloody generals. I am not the one who is against army. General Musharaf is our new hope. ZAB did many things wrong like extermination of institutions, nationalization of industries, arrogance with people but he also gave a lot to this nation in better terms which this nation will owe to him for centuries.

He was the one who gave voice to poor. Before that poor did not have the voice and courage to stand and fight for their right and it because of this voice which this man gave to poor his brainchild party PPP still get majority of votes in this country on the name of ZAB.

One admits it or not, Pakistan was never superior in forces in context of manpower, technology etc and it clear by the fact that we lost all the battles to India that is 1965 and 1971. Pakistanis did depend the country in 1965 war beyond their capacity just because of their valor and spirit of shadat but we were the ones who had to move first and asked to stop the war because of not enough weapons and ammunitionleft behind. In 1971 we lost half of Pakistan.
Has anyone ever wondered that why India now doesnt dare to attack Pakistan, its because of the ZAB atomic Bomb. If he had not did so, this country would not be anymore because of India. If anyone denies this fact we have examples of Kargil and 13 Dec Indian Parliment attacks. These were two times when we just inches away from war and India could not do so because of ZAB. Alas it was the same army which now proclaims that we can depend each of border does so because of that ZAB. i would like to recall one of the maxims of ZAB ``This country will eat grass but will make atomic bomb``

We people marvel that why Muslim world does not unite together and fight everyone together. It was this ZAB who did try this and was finally assasinated because of it. Go and ask anyone who was mature enough and had seen that Islamic Summit called by ZAB and the spirit with which most of the muslims country head gathered. As far as example is concerned from where does this money came to Arab countries? It was ZAB who taught the heads to use your oil as the Islamic Bomb and put whole west on halt because oil embargo to all the west. Because of his advice oil prices were hicked upto 300% and west could not do anything.

It was because of his arrogance that this person went to gallows. Exempler of his arrogance is that even he got his mentor and senior Federal Minister roughed up by the FSF personnel just because he said that i cant wait for the king of Larkna. That was one point which send me into dilemma wether ZAB was a great man or not.


The stamp of ZAB is ingrained on my heart and will never vanish. This thing proves the observation that people in Pakistan either love him or hate him and there is no middle ground.
May Allah forgive me if i said any thing wrong.

I welcome further comments on my perception of this person and thanks for readings my comments.

Imran M. Hafeez
Islamabad
imran_vc@hotmail.com

Quite true ihafeez. In time, people would have become disillusioned with Bhutto anyway. But what Zia did, with his unfair trial, persecution and forced Islamization was to immortalize Mr. Bhutto and to make a soft corner for the Bhuttos in the hearts of most Pakistanis. Even now, there are still millions who would forgive Benazir Bhutto merely because she is her father`s daughter.

Religion teaches us to respect the dead. No matter the amount of dislike one may have for another, spreading slander about someone who is dead is just plain disgraceful.

another correction : A Journey to Disillusionment is not by Balakh Sher. It is by his brother, Sherbaz Khan Mazari....