Oct 18: The Daughter of East, Benazir Bhutto finally landed to the soil of Pakistan amidst tens of thousands of her supporters thronged to welcome their leader.
The massive security to protect this self exiled leader from the attack of Islamic militant failed to diminish the spirit of huge crowd near the airport.
Huge posters, banners on vehicle were parked to welcome the leader. Supporters including representative of Pakistan’s minority communities of Christian and Hindu and Baluch tribesmen thronged in their traditional outfits. They were walking with all jubilation some of them performing the traditional dances.
Bhutto entered in a dialogue with Parvez Musharraf which gave her a reprieve from the corruption charges that made her leave Pakistan.
The day before her flight to Pakistan she addressed a press conference she spoke of her dream and commitment to restore democracy in Pakistan and said "I hope that, as this miracle is happening, that a miracle will happen for the impoverished and poverty-stricken people of Pakistan who are desperate for change, who want safety, who want security, who want opportunity, who want empowerment and employment".
"Today, Pakistan is at the cross-road, one way leads to the dictatorship and the other to democracy," she said in Dubai. "The people who have gathered to welcome me want change, a change towards democracy."
"My father sacrificed his life for the people and country," she said, referring to former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who was executed by Pakistan's the then military ruler in 1979.
As if the frozen moment was defreezed, her supporter chanted “Prime Minister Benazir, welcome to Pakistan!"
She served the post of Prime Minister twice, between 1988 and 1996, but her government tumbled because of allegation of corruption.
Bhutto, who said that she is not afraid on her return, will lead the party in coming general election in January next year. The speculation of her deal with Musharraf is high in Pakistan which might lend her a chance as to be the head of the state for third time.
Benazir Bhutto, who becomes a prominent name in the politics of Pakistan, has been living in exile since 1999. She spent her days in Dubai and United Kingdom.
On December 18, 1987, Benazir married Asif Ali Zardari in Karachi, who faced corruption charges during Nawaz Sharif's regime; he spent 8 years in jail.
Benazir Bhutto succeeded her mother as leader of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the pro-democracy opposition to the regime of President Zia-ul-Haq.
In 1988 Benazir’s PPP won the single largest seats in the National Assembly. She was sworn in as Prime Minister of a coalition government becoming at age thirty five the youngest person to become a Prime Minister.
But her government was dismissed in 1990 following charges of corruption. Nawaz Sharif subsequently came to power. Bhutto was re-elected in 1993 but was dismissed three years later amid various corruption scandals by then president Farooq Leghari, who used the Eighth Amendment discretionary powers to dissolve the government. The Supreme Court upheld President Leghari's dismissal by a 6-1 ruling.
Bhutto has always showed her concern towards apathy of women in Pakistan, and had several times accused Musharraf Government for denying democracy to the people of Pakistan.
The world is waiting to see the wind of change to blow in Pakistan. With U.S powering this alliance between Bhutto and Musharraf, to support them in their anti terrorism drive. In the end Bhutto’s success depends on her strategies to explain her actions in Pakistan.
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