Benazir Bhutto:
The Queen of Indus People
Once upon a time, the political entity of Indus Valley Civilization was called SAPTA SINDHVA, the country of seven rivers. According to recently discovered oldest map of Sindh, frontiers of Sindh start from Tibet (Thabet) and end at Indian Ocean.*
After the fall of Buddhist Dynasty of Sindh, Bhutto was the first Sindhi ruler who to win the minds and hearts of Indus People and virtually founded the Bhutto Dynasty. So’Z.A Bhutto rose to power through maneuvering during dictatorial regimes of Iskander Mirza and Ayub khan. As foreign minister of Ayub Khan, he created good will for himself in all power corridors of national and international arena especially in GHQ, Islamabad, Washington and Beijing. After Tashqand Agreement, he defied Ayub regime and launched protest campaign and peoples politics. And after fall of Dhaka, Bhutto got power with blessings of the power corridors and people’s power. Where as, his princess Benazir Bhutto entered in the arena of politics in tough times, when her father went under the shadow of gallows. Her entry in politics was abrupt and traumatic. That was a tragic end of her glamorous life in London! She went through great pain and agony. She rose to power through her will, vigor and movement of resistance. And she became People’s Princess.
She got first dent in her popularity with her choice of spouse. News of her engagement on 29 July 1987 fell on hearts of her people heavily. That was really shocking news! Though people recovered gradually but rest of her life, he, her family and her people lived with dented pride.
Before that she had got two heroic feats. In 1983, under the flagship of MRD, she proved herself as real leader of resistance. It was really a great historical turning point of Indus People, especially of Sindh. Long since War of Maha Bharta, it was the first occasion of history when Sindhi people rose in unison. Sindh erupted as volcano. That is why MRD ended its movement abruptly and without achieving any goal. No one has expected such a fierce struggle against military rule of brutal General Zia, not even Benazir Bhutto herself! Since then on Sindhi people show unanimity of action at every critical juncture of history.
In 1986, Benazir Bhutto, then an exiled leader landed at Lahore as Queen of Indus People. An ocean of people, especially of Punjab, waved on streets of Lahore and gave her the warmest welcome. But alas! She lost her glory within short span of time during her first tenure of rule. First dent felt hard. Free reigns made the matters worse. Already hers was weak Govt. she had entered in power corridors with compromise and inexperience. Compounded with corruption, she lost her power and popularity with great pace, even in Sindh, her home of great emotional attachment. During her second tenure of rule, she lost her defiant brother Mir Murtaza Bhutto in ‘Police Encounter!’ She had already suffered the death of her lovely youngest brother, Shahnawaz Bhutto allegedly murdered by his wife, Rehana of Royal Afghan Family, on 18th July 1985. Bhutto Dynasty suffered the pain of backstabbing now and again.
With loss of Murtaza Bhutto, she lost her mother and her brother’s family too. Till her death, she felt the loss of her niece, Fatima’s love and trust very hard. Along with personal tragedies, both of her power tenures ended abruptly and with apathy. Even in Sindh, no significant protest was witnessed whenever her govt. was sacked, though Sindh always find breathing space during PPP rule. But such is the magnitude of misrule that people find no reason to rise. So every time Bhutto Dynasty paid with head to live in hearts and history.
On 18 October, 2007, when Benazir Bhutto ended her second exile and landed on her motherland and kissed the mother earth, she was a changed personality. She looked more mother figure than politician. All her emotions spoke of virtuous woman. She suffered the trauma of blast with brave face and strong heart. On the next day, 19 Oct., when she went to the hospital and the houses to condole and to inquire about her dead and injured companions, her avowed opponents even can’t resist themselves to praise her brave and graceful gesture. Younger generation, first time witnessed a real politician in Pakistan! People from all over Pakistan came to Karachi on October 18th for her welcome and sacrificed their lives. Along with workers of Layari, sons of Skardu, an ancient capital of Indus, also gave tribute to The Mother Queen with their blood.
And final call came on 27th December 2007, just 69 days of her return and she went into eternity. Here also people of Pindi, an adjacent city of old Indus capital Taxila honored her with their blood. Just like all assassins of other members of Bhutto Dynasty, her assassins also enjoy power sharing amenity! Man made laws and law enforcing agencies have always made them scot free!! But history is a brutal force. It never forgives. There is an idiom in Sindhi language; ‘Revenge never rots with time.’ History awaits an occasion when all people of Indus will rise in unison.
By Jagdeesh Ahuja
No comments:
Post a Comment