Today marks the 72nd birth anniversary of late Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan’s first female prime minister.
To pay tribute to the martyred leader, cake-cutting ceremonies will be held at various locations across the city. These events will highlight her life, her services for democracy, and her ultimate sacrifice.
The beloved daughter of former premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto was born on June 21, 1953, in Karachi. Her father affectionately called her “Pinky” during her childhood. She received her higher education from Harvard and Oxford universities, and accompanied her father on diplomatic visits to several countries.
After her father’s arrest, Benazir, along with her mother Begum Nusrat Bhutto, took the reins of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and assumed party leadership at a very young age. Following the execution of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on April 4, 1979, Benazir was arrested and placed under house arrest.
From then on, she began her struggle against dictatorship of Zia-ul-Haq and eventually went into exile. When she returned to Lahore in 1986, millions gave her a historic and passionate welcome.
In 1987, she married Asif Ali Zardari, and after winning the 1988 general elections, Benazir Bhutto became the first woman prime minister of Asia. However, her government was dismissed in 1990.
She returned to power in 1993 as prime minister for a second term, but her government was again dismissed in 1996. After her second exile, she returned to Pakistan in 2007, landing in Karachi.
Benazir Bhutto launched a nationwide election campaign, but on December 27, 2007, after addressing a rally at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi, she was martyred in a terrorist attack.
Known as the Daughter of the East and the Martyr of Democracy, Benazir Bhutto was a globally respected political leader. She will always be remembered as an unforgettable figure in history.