subject: A Brief History Of Benazir Bhutto [print this page] Benazir Bhutto was the former prime minister of Pakistan. She led a turbulent but inspiring life before her assassination. She was the first woman prime minister of an Islamic country after getting elected as prime minister in 1988. When she was ousted under accusations of corruption, she went into self-exile in London and Dubai. Bhutto believed in democracy and wanted it established in Pakistan.
Bhutto was born on 21 June 1953, her father Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had served twice as the prime minister of Pakistan. At the age of 16, she attended Radcliffe College at Harvard University from where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in comparative government. Later she studied philosophy, economics and politics at Oxford. She was the first Asian woman to hold the prestigious title of Elected President of the Oxford Union in 1976. She received a second degree from Oxford in 1977 and returned to Pakistan later in that year.
After days of return to Pakistan, the former General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq removed her father from office as a result of a military coup in 1977 and was imprisoned. He was later hanged in 1979. As Bhutto was detained herself many times, she left for London in 1984.
Bhutto made a home in London where she lived and was actively involved in covert activities with her brothers to resist the military leadership in Pakistan. She returned to Pakistan when her brother Shanawaz suspiciously died in 1985. After again getting arrested and released, she again returned to London.
When the military rule ended in Pakistan in 1986, Bhutto returned to Pakistan. At that time, many people demonstrated against Zia-ul-Haq and Bhutto used her popularity to demand his resignation. Then, she ran for the position of prime minister in 1988 and got elected at an age of 35. She led her fathers party - Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
After serving just two years, President Ghulam Ishaq Khan forced her out of office under corruption charges. However she was never tried in court for corruption. She launched a big campaign against corruption and was again elected as prime minister in 1993. President Farooq Leghari at that time removed her again under corruption scandals. Bhutto stayed in London and Dubai for the next eight years. She returned to Pakistan after Gen Perver Musharaf had become the president.
Bhutto returned in 2007 to gather support against Musharraf. She met several leaders and expressed her interest for becoming a prime minister again. She had a great desire to save Pakistan from Muslim extremists of Al-Qaeda and Taliban. At her arrival, suicide bombers had killed more than hundred supporters who were gathered to welcome her.
Bhutto received many death threats while she was campaigning against President Musharraf. She attended a campaign rally in Rawalpindi on 27 December 2007 where thousands were gathered to support her in the upcoming elections. She was leaving the venue in a jeep when a gunman and a suicide bomber struck and assassinated her along with twenty others.
