Bhutto Benazir, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan: Biography

Benazir Bhutto is not just a politician of the first magnitude. Not just twice prime minister. She is the first and, alas, the only woman in modern history who has become the head of the government in a state where the majority of the population professes Islam. She lived a bright, full of ups and downs of life. The news of the terrorist attack in which she died, interrupted television broadcasts around the world. About her life and political career tells us herself Benazir Bhutto. "Daughter of the East. Autobiography "- this is her memoir. In the book Benazir writes: "This life chose me." Is it true that the descendant of the genus Bhutto was simply doomed to become the leader of the country, like her father, or her success was the result of the strong spirit, will and charisma of this amazing woman? You will learn about this from our article.

Childhood and youth

The future prime minister was born in the family of well-known political figures of Pakistan - Bhutto. Benazir was the first-born. Her parents, Zulfikar Ali Khan and Nusrat Bhutto, had two more sons - Shahnavaz and Murtaza, and also the daughter Sanam. Father Benazir on the paternal line Shah Nawaz led the government of Pakistan. Father - too. Mother, an Iranian of Kurdish origin, was actively engaged in politics. So the soil on which Benazir grew up was suitable. Her father Zulfikar was educated in Europe. Therefore, Benazir did not wear a veil that covered her face. She was born in Karachi on June 21, 1953. Her parents, practicing Muslims, nevertheless, gave her to the private nursery school of Lady Jeggins. Then the girl attended schools at Catholic missions - in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Islamabad. At the age of fifteen she already received a certificate of maturity.

Continuing Education

In the following year, in 1969, Bhutto Benazir entered Harvard. There, in her own words, she "tasted the fragrance of democracy for the first time." In four years she became a bachelor in the specialty of "public administration". In 1973, she moved to the UK and entered Oxford. In this university she specialized in economics, political science, philosophy and international law. During the training in Oxford, her leadership qualities and oratory skills were fully revealed. She was even elected president of the discussion circle "Oxford Union". In the spring of 1977, Benazir graduated and returned to Pakistan. Her father at that time occupied prominent positions in the government of the country. He first served as president, and then prime minister of Pakistan.

Involvement in politics

The girl first became a faithful assistant to her father, Zulfikar Ali Khan Bhutto. Benazir dreamed of a diplomatic career, but the parent has foretold her a great future at home. But the end of his hopes was laid by a military coup led by dictator Muhammad Zia-ul-Hak. It happened just 2 months after Benazir returned to Pakistan. Zia-ul-Haq threw the girl in jail, and her father was executed in 1979, accusing him of the contract killing of a political opponent. Benazir spent many years in prison, being in terrible conditions. Finally, in 1984 she was allowed to emigrate to the UK. Zulfikar Bhutto established the Pakistan People's Party (PNP), whose head after his execution was his widow. But Benazir, being in British exile, actively led this political force. When General Zia-ul-Haq was killed in a plane crash, the girl was able to return to Pakistan. At the airport, it was met by three million people, which indicates the unprecedented popularity of Benazir Bhutto.

Biography, personal life

It can not be said that this extremely beautiful woman was only carried away by politics. However, the press persisted in stating that her marriage took place on the basis of calculation. Say, she chose Asif Ali Zardari, because he was from a clan related to her. His ancestors were the rich Shiites from Sindh. But, most likely, Asif Ali became friends with Benazir Bhutto because of his spiritual kinship. He also had progressive European views and was proud of the fact that his wife was educated at prestigious universities in the US and Britain. But, nevertheless, a female politician, having married, preferred to leave her maiden name. Everyone in the world knew her as Benazir Bhutto. Children - the son of Bilawal and the daughter of Asif and Bakhtavar - were born in this marriage. They say that Benazir found time and paid much attention to the family.

First premiership

Largely due to the popularity of the executed Zulfikar Ali Khan Bhutto in the democratic elections in the fall of 1988, PNP won. Therefore, his daughter became prime minister. She was thirty-five at the time. Thus, she became the youngest woman prime minister. And in the Muslim world such a post was given to the representative of her sex for the first time in history. But Bhutto Benazir showed that she is not only a worthy daughter of her father, but also a skilled independent politician. She and her cabinet conducted a series of successful political and social reforms. After the dictatorship of Ziya-ul-Khak, trade unions, women's and human rights organizations were again allowed, and the oppositionists were given access to government media. The prime minister has established friendly ties with a long-standing enemy, India. But her husband, who took the post of Minister of Finance, was involved in corruption scandals. In 1990, the country's president, Ghulam Iskhak Khan, sent the cabinet headed by Bhutto to resign.

The second premiership

But three years later Benazir again returned to politics, this time not as successfully as before. Her party did not get a majority in the parliament, so she had to go to create a coalition. Having received the premiere chair for the second time, Benazir Bhutto, whose photo did not leave the front pages of the newspapers, began to make populist decisions. Thanks to it, even in remote villages of Pakistan electricity was conducted. It increased budgetary expenditures for health and education. Thus, illiteracy fell by one-third, and such a terrible illness as poliomyelitis, was defeated. The pace of the country's economic growth was gaining momentum, the flow of foreign investment was increasing. But corruption scandals continued, and in 1997 the party of the PNP lost in the elections. The couple Phuto charged with organizing contract killings and financial fraud. When Pervez Musharraf came to power in 1999, Benazir emigrated with children to Dubai. Her husband received five years in prison.

The murder of Benazir Bhutto

The first conspiracy against the woman prime minister was discovered in 1995. In 1997, Osama bin Laden promised a reward of ten million dollars for the head of Benazir Bhutto. In 2007, the President of Pakistan signed an amnesty from allegations of corruption regarding her and other opposition figures forced to leave their homeland. Thus, Benazir Bhutto once again shone on the political horizon of the country. President Musharraf tried to neutralize a strong opponent in the elections. He adopted an amendment to the constitution, according to which one person can not be a prime minister twice. And when the elections approached, in general declared a state of emergency. In October, an attempt was made against her, which proved unsuccessful. Two months later, she was the victim of another terrorist act. This happened just before the New Year, on December 27, in two thousand and seven, when she gave a speech in Rawalpindi.