A LEADER WITH A DIFFERENCE (Zulfikar Ali Bhutto)

ppp founder zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was bonr on January 5,1928, and sderved as president from 1981 to 1973 and prime minister from 1973 to 1977. Pakistan's history is incomplete without discussing Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who played an important role in picking up the pieces in rebuilding Pakistan when it was dismemebered in 1971. The morale of the antion was very low because of the fefeat at the hands of India. Later, the PPP formed the government at the Centre and in Sindh and the Punjab. The first job of the new government was to restore confidence of the people.

Bhutto first ended the state of war with India, ensuring solidarity and integrity in West Pakistan. It is a fact that late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi wanted to destroy the remaining Pakistan after the 1971 war. However, Bhutto foiled the evil designs of Indira Gandhi by forcing her to vacate the occupied land, captured in the 1971 war. Bhutto's second bold step was paving way for the brining back over 93,000 prisoners of war. The POWs returned home with honour and Bhutto signed Simla Agreement with India. After this he concentrated on rebuilding the national econonmy and framing a constitution. On the economic front, he made progress at the diplomatic level and won friendship of Shah of Iran, Kind of Saudi Arabia, and Colonel Gaddafi of Libya. He procured financial assistance from Iran, Saudi Arabia UAE and Libya and saved the economy from being collapsed.

An other plus point is that there was no change of financial corruption against Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Bhutto was handed over the Country after breaway of East Pakistan and in that situation he gave country the gift of the 1973 constituion. Initially he concentrated on constitution -making and sought help from Ghous Bakhsh Bizenjo of NAP (Now ANP) for giving provincial autonomy a proper shape in the Constitution. Later, he relied on religious parties and included Islamic clauses in the constitution. In addition to this, Bhutto organized all Muslim world leaders and arranged Islamic Summit in 197 in Lahore. With his foresight Bhutto saw through the Indian plans a constant threat to the security of Pakistan. Wars fought with India after independece convinced him that with the existing disparity between the armed forces of the two countries, which is bound to increase further with the passage of time, Pakistan is not likely to withstand the aggresive onslaught of India in conventional war. Therefore, keeping in view this fact he gave the gift of nuclear programme to the nation.

Bhutto introduced economic reforms and nationalized major industries, banks, insurance companies, and schools and colleges. He enacted tax relief for tha agricultural workers and fixed celings on land ownership. However, during the elections in March 1977, nine opposition parties, united at the platform of the Paksitan National Alliance (PNA), launched a movement against Bhutto. When the PPP claimed victory in the polls, the PNA accused PPP of rigging the elections. Wide spread street fighting broke out, and opposition politicians were arrested. Later the situation deteriorated to the level that on July 5 General Zia staged a coup. Zia relieved Bhutto of power, detained him for a month. In September Bhutto was re-arrested on charges of murder of a political opponent in 197. During the proceedings of the case Bhutto denied the allegations, but the Lahore High Court awarded him death sentence. The supreme Court also uheld the judgment and despite international pressure, Bhutto was hanged in April 1979.