Remembering Benazir

Twelve years ago – in the evening of December 27 – former prime minister and the charismatic chairperson of the PPP, Benazir Bhutto, was martyred near Liaquat Bagh Rawalpindi.

This day reminds us that Benazir Bhutto had returned to Pakistan with a clear message: that she will never bow down before the forces of tyranny and the extreme Right.

Pakistan lost a courageous, progressive and popular leader. Her assassination was a big blow to the democratic, liberal, secular and progressive forces in the country. She was not an ordinary leader but the symbol of national unity and the federation. She was – and still is – an icon of resistance, struggle and democracy.

Benazir had returned from a long exile, with a clear vision to take Pakistan forward. Her agenda was to introduce reforms in the system to improve the lives of ordinary people. She was determined to defeat the extremist narrative. She had promised to provide employment, social and economic justice, basic services and equal rights to the people. She received tremendous response to her election campaign and once again proved that she still enjoyed massive support. The PPP was dealt a huge blow with her sudden departure, a vacuum that is yet to be filled. The party never recovered from that loss.

Benazir Bhutto stood against the rising tide of religious extremism and terrorism. She wanted to see a peaceful, prosperous and violence-free Pakistan. It is important on this day to reaffirm commitment to continue the struggle for the ideals she sacrificed her life for.

Her 12th death anniversary is being commemorated at a time when democratic rights are under attack. Declining incomes, worsening living conditions, rising inflation and unemployment are all making the lives of working people miserable. The media too stands censored and controlled.

The current situation demands an alternate political and economic narrative and programme to address these issues. The political heir of BB Shaheed, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has taken a clear stand on democratic rights. Like his brave mother, he has refused to bow down before the forces of tyranny and authoritarianism.

But he lacks an alternate economic narrative and people-centric programme based on social and economic justice and equality. Bilawal is progressive and forward looking. He has the charisma of his mother and grandfather but he needs a radical economic programme to connect with young people and other sections of society. The PPP needs to abandon the neoliberal economic model so as to serve the economic interests of the working masses. Neoliberalism and ideals of a welfare state cannot go hand in hand.

The other factor that needs to be overcome, without compromising security, is to establish a direct contact between the political activists of the PPP and Bilawal Bhutto. There was a strong personal and political bond between Shaheed ZA Bhutto and PPP workers. Benazir Bhutto kept this bond intact. She earned respect and established her leadership through struggle and sacrifice. She, along with her mother, faced brutal state force on the streets.

The PPP leadership needs to come up with a plan to organise meetings between PPP workers and Bilawal Bhutto, to re-establish that personal and political bond. Bilawal needs to go beyond a certain layer of leadership to interact directly with true jiyalas. Public speeches and use of modern technology is an important means to reach out to the general public but equally important is direct interaction, especially with party workers. It is the workers, armed with a political message, programme and ideology, who will carry the message of their leader to the people. They are the true messengers. Benazir Bhutto stood and fought for a peaceful, democratic, progressive and sovereign Pakistan – and for people’s economic, political and democratic rights, freedom of expression and for a participatory democracy – her entire life. She stood for social and economic justice and equality. The reactionary forces silenced the loudest voice for democracy, rule of law, supremacy of the constitution and parliament, human rights and freedoms of expression and media. She stood against violence.

Benazir Bhutto fought most of her life against military dictators and rightwing reactionary forces. She spent most of her active political life in opposition. The powerful forces of the country never accepted her and tried everything to discredit her. For this, they launched a vicious character assassination campaign against her.

Every effort was made to weaken the party. The PPP went through many highs and lows under her leadership but she succeeded in steadying the ship against all odds. She was never given her a free hand to implement her policies. Her five years in power were used to malign her politics and agenda of reforms. Circumstances never allowed her to show her full potential as prime minister.

The writer is a freelance journalist.