August 17, 1988, was a turning point in Pakistan’s history, when General Zia UL Haque’s plane exploded over Bahawalpur’s skies and the military ruler’s chokehold over power ended Abruptly.
All eyes turned toward Benazir Bhutto, whose father, elected Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had been assassinated on Gen. Zia’s orders in 1977.
People gave a rousing welcome to Benazir, because of which Pakistan and the world began to believe that it would revolutionize the fate of the people of Pakistan.
Benazir Bhutto’s first term as prime minister ended abruptly in August 1990 when she was sacked on charges of deteriorated law and order and corruption. A businessman from Lahore, Nawaz Sharif replaced her.
Benazir redoubled her efforts to return to power, and again succeeded in replacing Nawaz Sharif in October 1993. But her tenure lasted only three years, during which her brother, Mir Murtaza Bhutto was assassinated.
During a decade of self-exile, Benazir Bhutto was convicted in absentia in 1999 by President Gen. Pervaiz Musharraf on charges of corruption. As party chairperson, she lived in Dubai and continued to direct her party from overseas.
In October 2007, when Benazir first landed in Karachi, after more than a decade in exile, she was overcome by emotions. At the same day two suicide bomb attacks occurred to kill her but she remained safe.
After two months, she was attacked on Dec 27,2007 in Rawalpindi Jalsa, and killed.
It would bring down any illusions that power resided in the people of Pakistan.