Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979) was a Pakistani barrister, politician and statesman who served as the fourth president of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973, and later as the ninth prime minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977. He was the founder of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and served as its chairman until his execution. Born in Sindh and educated at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Oxford, Bhutto trained as a barrister at Lincoln's Inn, before entering politics as one of president Iskandar Ali Mirza's cabinet members, and was assigned several ministries during president Muhammad Ayub Khan's military rule from 1958. Appointed Foreign Minister in 1963, Bhutto was a proponent of Operation Gibraltar in Kashmir, leading to war with India in 1965. After the Tashkent Declaration ended hostilities, he fell out with Khan and was sacked from government. Bhutto founded the PPP in 1967 on an Islamic socialist platform, and contested the general election held by president Yahya Khan in 1970. The Awami League won an absolute majority overall, though the PPP won a majority of seats in West Pakistan (where the Awami League won no seats); the two parties were unable to agree on the power transfer and a new constitution. In particular, the Awami League's Six Point Movement was seen by many in West Pakistan, including Bhutto and president Yahya Khan, as a way to break up the country. The refusal of Bhutto and Yahya to accept a Bengali as the Prime Minister of Pakistan led to uprisings in East Pakistan, and the counter-steps taken by the Army ordered by Yahya Khan and supported by Bhutto ultimately led to the creation of Bangladesh. In the wake of Pakistan losing the war against Bangladesh-allied India in December 1971, Bhutto took the presidency in December 1971 and emergency rule was imposed. He led the country after Bangladesh's secession and end of thirteen years of military rule. As president, Bhutto recovered 93,000 prisoners of war and of Indian-held territory after signing the Simla Agreement. He strengthened ties with China and Saudi Arabia, recognized Bangladesh, and hosted the second Organisation of the Islamic Conference in Lahore in 1974. His government drafted the current constitution of Pakistan, in 1973, upon which he appointed Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry president and switched to the newly empowered office of prime minister. Bhutto played an integral role in initiating the country's nuclear programme.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Notable quotes

“East Pakistan is no problem. We will have to kill some 20,000 people there and all will be well."”
— Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. "A History of Bangladesh" by Willem van Schendel, Cambridge University Press, 2009, p. 124.
“Pakistan was once called the most allied ally of the United States. We are now the most non-allied.”
— As quoted in The New York Times (6 July 1973).
“They are going to kill me. It doesn't matter what evidence you or anyone comes up with. They are going to murder me for murder I didn't commit.”
— Speaking to a his daughter Benazir Bhutto, as quoted in her book Daughter of the East (1989).
“If things do not change, there will be nothing left to change. Either power must pass to the people or everything will perish.”
— p. 14.
“I am guiding you to seek truth from the facts of the historical conditions of our society and to identify the problems. The correct solutions will come with the correct identification of the problems.”
— p. 78
“I am partial to the pantheism of Shelley. There is beauty everywhere. Even in a total war of annihiliation it will not be possible to wipe out all of it. Beauty is too beautiful to perish altogether. In this period of twelve months in solitary confinement I have rarely recalled an unpleasant or ugly glimpse of the past.”
— p. 79.

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979) was a Pakistani barrister, politician and statesman who served as the fourth president of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973, and later as the ninth prime minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977. He was the founder of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and served as its chairman until his execution.

Overview

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979) was a Pakistani barrister, politician and statesman who served as the fourth president of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973, and later as the ninth prime minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977. He was the founder of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and served as its chairman until his execution. Born in Sindh and educated at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Oxford, Bhutto trained as a barrister at Lincoln's Inn, before entering politics as one of president Iskandar Ali Mirza's cabinet members, and was assigned several ministries during president Muhammad Ayub Khan's military rule from 1958. Appointed Foreign Minister in 1963, Bhutto was a proponent of Operation Gibraltar in Kashmir, leading to war with India in 1965. After the Tashkent Declaration ended hostilities, he fell out with Khan and was sacked from government. Bhutto founded the PPP in 1967 on an Islamic socialist platform, and contested the general election held by president Yahya Khan in 1970. The Awami League won an absolute majority overall, though the PPP won a majority of seats in West Pakistan (where the Awami League won no seats); the two parties were unable to agree on the power transfer and a new constitution. In particular, the Awami League's Six Point Movement was seen by many in West Pakistan, including Bhutto and president Yahya Khan, as a way to break up the country. The refusal of Bhutto and Yahya to accept a Bengali as the Prime Minister of Pakistan led to uprisings in East Pakistan, and the counter-steps taken by the Army ordered by Yahya Khan and supported by Bhutto ultimately led to the creation of Bangladesh. In the wake of Pakistan losing the war against Bangladesh-allied India in December 1971, Bhutto took the presidency in December 1971 and emergency rule was imposed. He led the country after Bangladesh's secession and end of thirteen years of military rule. As president, Bhutto recovered 93,000 prisoners of war and of Indian-held territory after signing the Simla Agreement. He strengthened ties with China and Saudi Arabia, recognized Bangladesh, and hosted the second Organisation of the Islamic Conference in Lahore in 1974. His government drafted the current constitution of Pakistan, in 1973, upon which he appointed Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry president and switched to the newly empowered office of prime minister. Bhutto played an integral role in initiating the country's nuclear programme.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Not who you're looking for? Others named Zulfikar Ali Bhutto: Pakistani performance artist

Notable quotes

“East Pakistan is no problem. We will have to kill some 20,000 people there and all will be well."”
— Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. "A History of Bangladesh" by Willem van Schendel, Cambridge University Press, 2009, p. 124.
“Pakistan was once called the most allied ally of the United States. We are now the most non-allied.”
— As quoted in The New York Times (6 July 1973).
“They are going to kill me. It doesn't matter what evidence you or anyone comes up with. They are going to murder me for murder I didn't commit.”
— Speaking to a his daughter Benazir Bhutto, as quoted in her book Daughter of the East (1989).
“If things do not change, there will be nothing left to change. Either power must pass to the people or everything will perish.”
— p. 14.
“I am guiding you to seek truth from the facts of the historical conditions of our society and to identify the problems. The correct solutions will come with the correct identification of the problems.”
— p. 78
“I am partial to the pantheism of Shelley. There is beauty everywhere. Even in a total war of annihiliation it will not be possible to wipe out all of it. Beauty is too beautiful to perish altogether. In this period of twelve months in solitary confinement I have rarely recalled an unpleasant or ugly glimpse of the past.”
— p. 79.

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

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