Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto

The Life Chairperson - Pakistan Peoples Party

Political activist with the PPP, 1977-84; repeatedly imprisoned and kept under house arrest by the Pakistani government; political exile in London, England, 1984-86; returned to Pakistan in April, 1986; Pakistan co-chair, beginning in 1986; After elections held November 1988, invited to form the government, became Prime Minister in 1988 but her government was illegally dismissed in August 1990. She again came to power after her Party won a majority in elections held in October 1993. Her government was once again dismissed illegally in November 1996. Since then PPP under her leadership has been subjected to political persecution first by Nawaz's regime and then by Musharraf regime. The leadership faced all the difficulties with courage and has remained united under her leadership despite coercion and intimidation. The PPP is sure to win next elections under the dynamic leadership of Ms Benazir Bhutto.

Benazir Bhutto, chairperson of Pakistan's opposition People's Party is a remarkable person. She has survived personal drama and persecution and has seen moments of unprecedented glory and failure. Her career has taken her from the depths of the prisons of dictator Zia-ul-Haq to the heights of Pakistan's Prime Ministership. Only to be removed from office twice. But she is not a person to quit easily.

Being the daughter of one of Pakistan's all-time popular Prime Ministers, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir had a privileged childhood. While her father was busy building up the cadres of the People's Party, which he had founded to rival the traditional power-house of the Muslim League, Benazir enjoyed years of study at top universities. But her privilege turned into a nightmare the day in 1974 that her father's trusted Chief-of-Staff, General Zia-ul-Haq, overthrew the elected government. After a short trial, Mr. Bhutto was hanged and Benazir and her mother were put in jail. All in all, she spent nearly five years in detention, while Pakistan was suffering under its military dictatorship.