Welcome and Introduction
Address on 20th Martyrdom Anniversary of Shaheed Z A Bhutto at Karachi
8 March 1999

To commemorate the 20th Martyrdom Anniversary of Shaheed Bhutto, on the occasion of the Quaid-e-Awam Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Commemorative Lecture on "Impact of Political Dynasties in South Asia" by Anura Bandaranaike, Member of Parliament, Republic of Sri Lanka, March 8, 1999 at Beach Luxury Hotel, Karachi.

Mr. Anura Bandaranaike, honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen.

We are privileged to have amongst us the Honorable Anura Bandaranaike, Member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, a former Minister of Higher Education, a fellow ‘South Asian,’ at the Quaid-e-Awam Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Commemorative Lecture on "Impact of Political Dynasties in South Asia" organized by the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology.

As the son of two Prime Ministers, and the brother of a President, Mr. Bandaranaike is well qualified to enlighten us on the impact of Political dynasties in South Asia. The policies of South Asia has been dominated to a large extent by the political struggles of the Nehrus, the Bhuttos and the Bandaranaikes who embodied the hopes and aspirations of the teeming masses of the Sub-Continent. These were populist leaders caught in the web of Cold War politics. Their leftist leaning, welcomed at home by the proletarian class, were viewed as dangerous abroad.

The generation down the line functions in a different time prism. The cold war is over. The world of de-regulation, decentralization and privatization has begun. However, the political parties concerned, retain their sympathies with the poor, disadvantaged, the dispossessed, the discriminated. Their policies are aimed at providing relief to this underclass which the elite see as threatening.

India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and newly formed Bangladesh all shared common features. These features included the English language, the legacy of the British Raj, cricket and cucumber-sandwiches, a parliamentary system and a legal system based on common law. These countries also shared something more sinister. Powerful ruling elites who could not, would not, reconcile themselves to the democratic reality of populist leaders. When populist leaders could not be kept out through the electoral arena, extra democratic avenues were sought for their elimination. The extra democratic avenues cast a deep crimson stain on the fabric of South Asia. Bandaranaike, Indira, Bhutto were murdered because they could not be defeated. But they lived on. Lived on in the imagination of their people and in the organization of their political platforms. In seeking a rallying point for the struggle of the people against the dark forces of dictatorship, the political organizations concerned turned to symbols of the martyred leaders.

It was this search for the symbols of the martyred leader which gave birth to political dynasties in South Asia as family members rose to accept the challenge. In doing so, a bond was created between the masses and leader, bereft, but not alone, grief-struck but determined to overcome the adversarial forces and to regain the center field in the battle of socio-economic emancipation. When murder failed to snuff out the dream of the people, the powerful elites adopted a novel new course called disqualification. If murder led to martyrdom, then political murder would be turned into a living death. Those populist leaders who could win even in the face psychological warfare, who could win in the face of character assassination and propaganda, would be, kept out by snatching from them the right to contest elections, to lead their nations and their people.

Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan have all seen these pathetic, undemocratic, illegal, fascist attempts to politically eliminate leaders through abuse of the judicial system. In a democracy, people are the final court of verdict in the world. However, the elitist classes have attempted to snatch from the people their fundamental right to elect a person of their choice to lead them. This attempt by the fascist ruling elite has failed in the past and shall fail once again. It is time, our people, our nations, our Sub-Continent moved on to meet the new challenge of a new century under the leadership of choice, fully representative of its aspirations.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today we are all gathered here under the auspices of SZABIST, one of Pakistan's leading Universities on the occasion of the Quaid-e-Awam commemorative lecture. This year, 1999, marks the 20th martyrdom anniversary of Pakistan's great leader, its first directly elected democratic chief executive.

I congratulate SZABIST for establishing the Quaid-e-Awam Zulfikar Ali Bhutto commemorative lecture to pay tribute to Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Prime Minister Bhutto had a deep commitment to the world of science and technology. In fact, he once served, if I recall correctly, as a Minister for Science and Technology. He set up KANUPP in Karachi with the assistance of the Canadians. He established the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Sciences and Technology (PINSTECH), the National Science Council (NSC) and the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) among others. Pakistan was given its first Science and Technology Policy under his leadership as well as a new direction in education though the Education Policy of 1972. Within 5 years under his Captainship of the State, Pakistan established a large number of leading Universities, including the NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, the Mehran University of Engineering & Technology Jamshoro, the Bahauddin Zakarya University, Multan, the Islamic University, Bahawalpur, and the Gomal University, D. I. Khan. His dream to establish a prestigious institution along the lines of his Alma Mater, the University of California at Berkeley and the Oxford University, fell short due to his premature martyrdom, when both his life, and his dream of a prosperous Pakistan, was cut short by a ruthless dictator.

SZABIST is the fulfillment of his dream to give the people of Pakistan the best education in their own homeland enabling hem to compete with honour and dignity with the rest of the world. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as the builder of Pakistan gave Pakistanis a sense of national identity, security of prestige, of recognition. In the forefront of the student movement in California, he came back to Pakistan fired with the belief that political power must rest with the people. Although he started his political career as a Minister in President Ayub's Cabinet, he left to fight every dictator including Ayub, Yahya, Zia. He saw himself as a meteor who would light up the sky for one blazing moment before disappearing forever into space and the heart of history.

He was determined to bring a social revolution no matter what the cost, and he did. Land Reforms, Labour Reforms, Nationalization of the commanding heights of Pakistan's economy, changed the political contours of Pakistan. By his actions, he won the life long love of the working classes and middle classes and with it the abiding hatred of the elites he had disenfranchised. He knew he would have to pay a terrible price for destroying the elite class and benefiting the underclass but he was, in his own words, prepared to make every sacrifice to provide for the masses who had never seen a decent meal, or decent clothing or decent shelter. In a prophetic sentence, he said to the people "I am prepared to sacrifice my life for you. If need be, my two sons Murtaza and Shah Nawaz will also sacrifice their lives for you".

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto simultaneously cared for and loved the people of Pakistan. There are those who still recall with tears in their eyes how at the historic Mochi Gate meeting, a million people swarmed for hours in drizzling rain to catch a glimpse of their Quaid. In a show of love and caring, he threw off his Jacket, saying he also wanted to get wet like the crowd who had waited relentlessly for him in the rain. He and the people had an emotional bond.

His election symbol was "The Sword of Ali" and it was his name too for that is what Zulfikar Ali Bhutto means. The saga of his martyrdom and the resistance of his followers have gone down in the sands of time as Pakistan's "Karballa". Within six months, what Pakistan lost by the sword in 1971, he won back by the pen. He raised and rebuilt the Pakistan Army to one of the finest in Asia.

He gave Pakistan its first Constitution, democratic and federal in nature unanimously passed by the first elected Parliament. Smaller provinces got their rights. He gave Pakistan major projects, such as the Pakistan Steel Mills, Port Qasim at Karachi, the Machine Tool Factory at Landhi, the Heavy Mechanical Complex at Taxila, the Kamrah Aeronautical Complex, Kahuta and Karakurram Highway.

The Muslim World chose him as the Co-Chairman of the Second Islamic Summit Conference, along with Shah Faisal of Saudi Arabia. Both were later assassinated but at that Conference the Muslim World recognized Yasser Arafat as the President of PLO. This subsequently enabled the USA and Israel to negotiate with President Arafat as the sole representative of the Palestine people.

The Court trying him on a conspiracy for murder charge was cut in size from nine to seven to assure a guilty verdict. The verdict was split 4:3 with three judges honourably acquitting him of conspiracy to murder. In the eyes of the Federation he stood acquitted with three units acquiting him and one unit convicting. The Supreme Court of Pakistan unanimously called upon General Zia to commute Bhutto's sentence as there was no punishment of death for conspiracy. But Quaid-e-Awam was assassinated by the Military Dictator on April 4, 1979 in the early hours of the morning contrary to jail regulations. Neither the family nor the nation was informed.

For anyone to face death it requires courage, for a man pleading his own innocence to face it in cold blood requires the strength of a giant. And he was a giant of a man who strode like a colossus across the world stage. Today his final resting place at Garhi Khuda Bux attracts tens of thousands of faithful followers yearly to pay tribute.

Ladies Gentlemen:

Our guest Anura Bandaranaike is no stranger to he world of politics. His father Prime Minister Solomon Bandaranaike was an Oxford graduate, hailing from a rich and privileged, married into one of the oldest, most aristocratic families. He returned from Oxford to the land of his birth and dedicated himself to improving the lives of his people.

In Sindh's tradition Sri Lanka is known as the ‘Land of Marvels'. For centuries, when Buddha reigned supreme in the region, Sindh and Lanka traded together. When Islam dawned in Sindh in 712 AD, Lanka continued with its relations. Sea trade flourished for centuries between our lands. The traders of Sindh took their merchandise sailing for Sri Lanka every autumn when the fury of the ocean subsided. The ancient mariners watched for the rising of the star known as AYATH (Sanskrit: AGSTHA) for when it shone, the season for sailing came. With the end of the Cold War, the rise of the unipolar world, the birth of economic trading zones, it is time for the political mariners in South Asia to search for the right star to guide our common journey into the new century, the new millennium.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I see a new star rise in the skies of South Asia. I see new star rise, the star of Economic Emancipation and Economic Opportunity for South Asians. The South Asian region encompassing Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, has a common and shared history. We speak the same languages. Our colour is the same. We have a multi-religious society, with Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Parsis, Buddhists & others. Each in our country believes in the freedom of religion. We all have similar per capita income. All are in similar stages of economic development, all share a common legal system based on common law, all have free market based economies, all share English as a common language for government and business transactions, and all share a common history and culture.

The logical choice for the nations of South Asia is to come together under a "South Asian Free Economic Zone," which would include all SAARC countries. We could embark on a development journey, where in the first phase, to conclude by the year 2010, the member nations could reach a critical phase in their economic development and per capita income, with liberal trade agreements and co-operation in all sectors. This could be done on the pattern of the EC with a common trading currency, a common central bank, a revolving Presidency, a common travel document.

In the second phase, China could perhaps be included in this free zone. This is my vision of an "Asian Free Economic Zone," which by 2010 would be in existence with over 2.5 to 3 billion people, and a GNP of over US $ 7 trillion. Of this, SAARC alone would be around $ 3 trillion and China over $ 4 trillion. Our Asian Free Zone could be at the same level, in GNP terms, as EC, US or Japan. With roughly 50% of the world population in the Asian Zone, this Zone, in terms of the economics market, would have the greatest influence, voice and clout in the 21st Century.

Mr. Anura, you, through your country, Sri Lanka, could perhaps one day, and we hope, become the President of this "Super Power" Asian Zone. The choice is in our hands. We can shape the destiny of South Asia, that course, that history, which will flow for the next hundred years, or we could choose to remain in ignorance, poverty, and despair. Will we, the people of South Asia, choose to be prisoners of the past, or will we be able to rise to the challenges of a magnificent future? Paul Kennedy, in his book, ‘Preparing for the 21st Century’ writes:

" — the forces of change facing the world could be so far reaching, complex and interactive, that they would call for nothing less than the re-education of humankind —. Above all, unease about present, or impelling, changes is behind the widespread dis-enchantment with political leadership — . Clearly, a society which desires to be better prepared for the 21st Century will have to pay a price to achieve that transition; it will need to re-tool its natural skills and infrastructure, challenge vested interests, alter many new habits, and perhaps amend its governmental structures. But this requires long term vision at a time when most politicians – in both rich and poor countries — can hardly deal with even short term problems; and it means political risks—."

Is our political leadership ready for this challenge? Are we ready to open up our borders to adopt to the changes coming our way in the 21st century?

That is the challenge before all of us. To have the courage to break from the past to enter an exciting new area of regional cooperation and global competition in a world where ideas and goods will dominate the markets and give each region its purpose and influence. Imagine the Kashmir dispute, the Bihari question, the illegal immigration melting into solutions as open borders lead to open societies based on tolerance, accommodation and trade.

In the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century, South Asia remained the golden trade route of rich markets. Its spices, perfumes and elaborate workmanship simultaneously bred a mercantile class whilst attracting other mercantile groups. The court of Queen Victoria paled in comparison to the jewelled splendour of the Moghul Emperors and the Maharajas. The wealth of the East was conquered by the gunpowder of the West. But the era of gunpowder is dying and from its ashes is rising the world of Information Technologies spawning an increasingly borderless world.

No longer do we need the post office to send letters, the telephone department to talk across the continents. We can do it through the computer. Tax Residency, banking arrangements and stock market investment can be done from a home in one continent through an institution in another continent. The brave new era calls for leaders of courage to take the bold steps necessary to adapt to the changing circumstances and with them carry their people into a wonderful world of varied opportunity.

Mr. Bandaranaike, Ladies and Gentleman,

Mr. Bandaranaike has joined us in the middle of his election campaign for his provincial council elections. Mr. Bandaranaike, on behalf of SZABIST, we are certainly grateful and thankful to you for joining us today.

I see Mr. Bandaranaike as one of those courageous new leaders who will light the torch for a new generation. He is an exceptional member of a talented family whose footprints can be seen in time from decades.

Mr. Bandaranaike is the only son of the four times elected Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka – A record unequalled in any part of the world. As a graduate of the prestigious Royal College, Colombo, and the University of London, he won his first election in 1977 at the age of 27.

This year, he completes over 22 continuous years in Parliament a record that would make every Parliamentarian envious.

At the age of 34, Mr. Bandaranaike became the youngest Leader of the Opposition in Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth. Recently he won a human rights case against an illegal police raid on his house.

Born in the eye of politics, Mr. Bandaranaike has met many world states people including India’s Jawaharlal Nehru, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Indonesia’s Sukarno, Yugoslavia’s Tito, China’s Mao Tse Tung & Chou En Lai, Britain’s Harold McMillan & Harold Wilson, Egypt’s Gamal Abdul Nasser, and Pakistan’s Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Mr. Bandaranaike previously visited Pakistan in September 1992 to address the SAARC Opposition Leader’s Conference in Karachi. We welcome him once again to Pakistan. Mr. Bandaranaike, on behalf of SZABIST, and on behalf of the people of Pakistan, I invite you to share your views with us.

Go Back

Biography - Speeches - Articles/Interviews - Kashmir Policy - Letters - Audios/Videos - Poems - Photographs