Why Shaheed Bhutto was hanged 44 years ago?
Shaheed Bhutto's only crime was that he stood for masses, democracy and supremacy of constitution and challenged the status quo
Shaheed ZA
Bhutto was hanged on April 04 1979 by the military dictatorship of General Zia
44 years ago. On April 04, 1979, the most popular leader of this country was
sent to gallows. General Zia was hoping to destroy both the PPP and the
popularity of ZA Bhutto. But he failed on both fronts.
In his time
and long since you either loved him or despised him as a demagogue or a
populist or a fascist, a socialist or a feudal, a radical or an establishment
person or Pakistan’s second Quaid, but a Quaid-e-Awam. He was a true leader of
people. He inspired and mobilised millions of working people, layers of middle
class and youth. He reflected the radical left wing populist politics of that
era.
He did made
mistakes while he was in power. But it is not the day to discuss his mistakes.
PPP can learn important lessons from the successes and failures of Shaheed
Bhutto. But he sacrificed his life for the cause of democracy and masses.
No other leader
in the history of Pakistan has impacted the politics like Bhutto shaheed. One
loves him or hate him, he undoubtedly become part of mass psyche. Despite all
the propaganda to demonise him and paint him as a villain, Bhutto is loved and
respected by millions in the country.
For more
than 53 years, Pakistani politics has been divided between pro and anti-Bhutto
forces. Bhutto shaheed is still relevant in Pakistani politics. His charisma
and popularity is still alive. Bhutto was a man of intellect, integrity, vision
and honesty.
Bhutto’s
hanging was a judicial murder carried out on the wishes of a reactionary
military dictator. Shaheed Bhutto’s hanging is a black spot on our history.
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Bhutto was
hanged because he dared to challenge the forces of status quo. Bhutto’s
left wing popular politics caused significant damage to ruling elite who was
dominated Pakistan economically, socially and politically.
There was a
strong nexus of power consisting of civil and military bureaucracy and
traditional right wing politicians mostly rural gentry. Bhutto challenged that
nexus of power with the help of working people, middle class intellectuals and
poor farmers.
Shaheed
Bhutto was hanged because he dared to challenge the imperialist hegemony and
persuaded an independent and sovereign foreign policy. Pakistan was a
close ally of US imperialism since the independence in 1947. Pakistan chose US
as its ally in the cold war period.
Bhutto
Shaheed tried to take an independent position. Bhutto tried to improve the
relations with Soviet Union. It was a crime in the eye of US imperialism.
America wanted to have a strong pro-US government in Pakistan. Bhutto was not
ready to blindly follow the dictates of US imperialism.
Shaheed
Bhutto had a vision for Pakistan. It was vision to turn Pakistan into a
democratic, prosperous, progressive and strong country. Within a year after
taking power, he gives Pakistan a unanimous constitution.
It was ZA
Bhutto who initiated many projects to build a solid industrial base in
Pakistan. He established aeronautical and heavy machine tool complexes,
Pakistan Steel Mill, Karachi Shipyard, Karachi Nuclear Power Plant and its
automobile industrial base.
The economic
policies of the Bhutto government rested on the premise that the control of the
leading enterprises was to be in the hands of the state. It ought to be pointed
out that while this policy of nationalization has been much maligned by critics
of Bhutto, his policies were a reflection of the times and of the age in which
they were implemented.
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The PPP manifesto laid the premise for this action by
stating that “the breakup of the large estates to destroy the feudal landowners
is a national necessity that will have to be carried through by practical
measures”.
The government had decided that the land resumed from
landowners would not receive any compensation unlike the Ayub Khan reforms of
1959, and this land was to be distributed free to landless tenants. The
ceilings for owning land were also cut from 500 acres of irrigated land to 150
acres in 1972.
Along with these structural interventions in the economy
which changed ownership patterns and property rights, an ambitious
social-sector programme, consisting, among other things, of the nationalisation
of schools and initiating a people’s health scheme providing free healthcare to
all, was also initiated.
His economic policies lifted millions out of poverty. He
provided jobs to millions of Pakistanis. Millions more were sending to Gulf
countries which in return raised the living standards of millions of people.
Social security was extended to hundreds of thousands of industrial workers.
For more than 53 years, Pakistani politics has been divided
between pro and anti-Bhutto forces. Bhutto shaheed is still relevant in
Pakistani politics. His charisma and popularity is still alive. Bhutto was a
man of intellect, integrity, vision and honesty.
Khalid Bhatti
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