Bhutto's death
The writer is an educationist based in Larkana, dedicated to advocating for women's rights and empowering them through education. She can be contacted at sairasamo88@gmail.com
Listen to article
Nearly five decades ago, on 4th April 1979, Pakistan witnessed a grave injustice - the execution of a politically victimised leader. He was none other than Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the democratically elected leader of Pakistan, who gave the country its Constitution, which remains in use to this day.
Recognising his merit on this March 23, 2025, former Prime Minister and founder of Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was posthumously awarded the Nishan-i-Pakistan, the nation's highest civilian honour. The award, received by his daughter Sanam Bhutto, recognised his contributions to the country, democracy and the people.
ZAB was executed on April 4, 1979, following a conviction in a highly controversial murder case, widely condemned for lacking due process. His execution was later regarded as a judicial murder in the country's history.
Nearly a year ago, Supreme Court judges reviewed the case and concluded that Bhutto's trial had been unfair, denying him due process at both the trial and appellate levels - an acknowledgment seen as a correction of a historic miscarriage of justice.
The Bhutto family's political legacy in Pakistan is marred by a series of tragic events, each paying a price for their unflinching sincerity and standing tall against oppression and injustice. From ZAB's judicially contested execution to Benazir Bhutto's assassination, Shahnawaz Bhutto's mysterious death in South Africa and Murtaza Bhutto's controversial police encounter, the family has faced unpredictable deaths, all seemingly in service of protecting the rights of the people at the stake of their lives.
ZAB, a visionary leader, faced grave injustice when he was judicially convicted and sentenced to death in 1979. His execution, later remembered as a judicial murder, sent shockwaves through Pakistan. Bhutto's commitment to a democratic and progressive Pakistan was abruptly cut short, and the repercussions of his unjust death were felt across the nation.
Benazir Bhutto, his daughter and political successor, emerged only as a hope for democratic ideals. Her tenure as the first woman to lead a Muslim-majority country faced tumult, culminating in her tragic assassination on December 7, 2007 at Rawalpindi. The consequences were irreparable, impacting not only the Bhutto family but also the stability of Pakistan's political institutions. The death of Benazir Bhutto, the first female prime minister in the Muslim world, left a void in the PPP leadership, prompting questions about the future of democratic governance.
Shahnawaz Bhutto's mysterious sudden death in Nice, France in 1985 is yet another layer to the family's narrative of untimely deaths. The circumstances surrounding his demise remain shrouded in mystery, contributing to the perception that the Bhutto family, committed to the well-being of the people, was beset by unpredictable tragedies.
Murtaza Bhutto, Benazir's brother, met a tragic end during her tenure as PM. His killing in a controversial police encounter in Karachi in 1996 added another layer of complexity to the Bhutto family's political narrative. His outspoken nature and willingness to challenge the status quo led to his untimely death, which remains an unresolved case.
All the casualties within the Bhutto family occurred under circumstances far from natural. They remain the only family in Pakistan's political history to have fallen victim to consequences they did not deserve.
From ZAB's judicial execution to his elder son Shahnawaz's mysterious death by poisoning, from Murtaza's controversial police encounter to Benazir's assassination during a public gathering, each loss inflicted deep wounds that have never fully healed till today.
Rarely does an entire family dedicate itself to service of people, at the stake of personal well-being for the greater good. As Martin Luther King Jr said, "Once you become dedicated to a cause, personal security is not the goal. What will happen to you personally does not matter. My cause, my race, is worth dying for."
Such is the nature of sacrifice for a noble cause.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
World reacts to strikes as 'dangerous escalation'
London talks follow first public call between Trump and Xi since his return to the White House, held just days earlier. PHOTO: REUTERS The reaction of international community poured in after the United States struck three nuclear sites in Iran on Sunday, with majority of the world leaders condemning the attack and calling for de-escalation. The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas called for de-escalation and a return to negotiations. "I urge all sides to step back, return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation," Kallas wrote on X, adding that Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and that EU foreign ministers would discuss the situation Monday. Russia 'strongly condemned' the bombings, calling them 'irresponsible' and a 'gross violation of international law'. "A dangerous escalation has begun, fraught with further undermining of regional and global security," the Russian foreign ministry added. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the strikes a "dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge". "There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace," Guterres said in a statement. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on Iran to "return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis". "Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat," Starmer said on X, adding that "stability in the region is a priority". French President Emmanuel Macron has called a meeting of the country's defence council for Sunday, with his office saying he had spoken with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Oman on Sunday. France is urging "all parties to exercise restraint to avoid any escalation that could lead to an extension of the conflict", Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot posted on X. China's foreign ministry said it "strongly condemns" the US strikes, warning that they "escalate tensions in the Middle East". "China calls on all parties to the conflict, especially Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible," the ministry said. Pope Leo XIV said after the strikes that "humanity is crying out for peace" and called for an end to all wars. "Each member of the international community has the moral responsibility to end the tragedy of war, before it becomes an irreparable chasm," Leo said during his weekly Angelus prayer at the Vatican. Saudi Arabia expressed "great concern" after the strikes on its neighbour, the "sisterly Islamic Republic of Iran". "The Kingdom underscores the need to exert all possible efforts to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and avoid further escalation," the foreign ministry posted on X. Pakistan, the only nuclear-armed Muslim country and a longtime Washington ally, said the US attacks "violate all norms of international law". "We are gravely concerned at the possible further escalation of tensions in the region," Pakistan's foreign ministry said, adding that Iran had the "right to defend itself under the UN Charter". The Palestinian militant group Hamas condemned the "blatant US aggression against the territory and sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran". "This brutal aggression is a dangerous escalation," Hamas said, calling the attack "a flagrant violation of international law, and a direct threat to international peace and security".
Business Recorder
4 hours ago
- Business Recorder
PSA seeks exemption to green energy from SIC
LAHORE: Pakistan Solar Association (PSA) has asked the government of Sindh to exempt the green energy sector from the Sindh Infrastructure Cess (SIC), aligning with the Pakistan People's Party's (PPP) broader environmental vision. Leading industrialist and member of PSA Mian Faraz Aslam who is renewable energy advocate Mian Faraz Ala while speaking at the energy stakeholders' roundtable stressed that the renewable energy industry— especially solar— should be given strategic support through policy incentives, including tax and cess exemptions, to accelerate Pakistan's transition toward sustainable energy. He made a direct appeal to the Chief Minister of Sindh to support green energy sector. 'If we truly aim to implement the vision of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who has repeatedly emphasised the importance of green and clean energy for Pakistan's future, we must remove bottlenecks like the Sindh Infrastructure Cess (SIC) on renewable energy equipment,' Alam stated. Mian Faraz, who leads the Alam Group of Companies and one of Pakistan's largest importers of Tier-1 solar panels pointed out that the SIC adds an additional financial burden on companies already investing in sustainable infrastructure. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
4 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Finance bill contains drafting errors: experts
ISLAMABAD: Finance Bill (2025-26) contains drafting errors and contradictions amongst taxing statues including Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, Sales Tax Act, 1990 and Federal Excise Act, 2005. Tax experts told Business Recorder that policymaker has been harmonizing the parallel provisions contained in the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, Sales Tax Act, 1990 and Federal Excise Act, 2005 as all these are administered by the same officer of the field formations. But contrary to the established policy and past practice through Finance Bill 2025 certain contradictory amendments are proposed. The tax experts have pointed out that earlier all the three taxing statutes contained a provision that after issuance of show cause notice the assessment order was to be passed within a specified period and this provision was interpreted as mandatory in various judgments of the Supreme Court. Budget FY25-26: Finance bill still being discussed, says FBR However, through Finance Bill the provisions contained in Section 122(9) of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 is proposed to be omitted meaning thereby that there would be no time limit for passing the assessment order after issuance of show cause notice and practically the same can be passed within five years of the end of the Financial Year in which the relevant return of total income was filed. Contrary to this, the identical provision contained in Section 11G of the Sales Tax Act, 1990 and sections of the Federal Excise Act would be continued. This differential treatment in the taxing statute administered by the same assessing officer does not sound to reason and is contrary to the norms of justice and fair play. When contacted, Shahid Jami, a Lahore based tax lawyer, explained that though Anomalies Committees have been constituted by the Federal Government but such fine points are not likely to be addressed by them as this may not be considered anomaly by them. He pointed out a drafting error according to which sub-section (1) of Section 46 of the Sales Tax Act, 1990 pertaining to appeal to the Appellate Tribunal is intended to be substituted and the proposed amendment provide appeal only against the appeal order passed by the Commissioner (Appeals) and contrary to the earlier provision existing for decades no appeal has been provided against the order passed by the Zonal Commissioner and FBR under the Act or Rules. Jami stated that the wording appears to be erroneous in drafting and not intentional change in policy as the words 'under this Act and Rule made there under' exist in the proposed amendment but the authorities of Zonal Commissioner and FBR are missing. It is imperative that such drafting errors and contradictions are removed from the Finance Bill for uniformity of taxing statues and to protect the rights of the taxpayers. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
