Battle for Democracy Not Easy
Signing Ceremony of Autobiography
Dubai - May 03, 2007

1. Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has said that the battle for democracy has not been an easy one but "I have never wavered in my commitment to democracy".

2. "I believe that the restoration of democracy is critical to the future direction of Pakistan and to the South Asian Region".

3. She was speaking at the signing ceremony of her autobiography in Dubai Thursday afternoon. The autobiography she said had been refurbished to share with a new generation her life as a Muslim woman in a largely Muslim country.

4. The tragedies, the triumphs, the turbulence in Pakistani society mirror my life as a woman, a political activist and as a Muslim, she said.

5. She said that as a woman she felt a special responsibility towards women everywhere. As Prime Minister I opened up job and credit opportunities for women in the country, she said adding, "My political struggle became a treatise of Islam and the rights of women"

6. Long before terrorism or religious extremism became part of the international discourse, she confronted those forces in Pakistan, she said.

7. The former Prime Minister said that the burgeoning movement for women's rights empowered and emboldened her. "I had always been inspired by the example of Bibi Khadija, the wife of the Holy Prophet of Islam, who was a working woman and the first to give witness to the revelation of the Holy Quran".

8. But above all, in England and America I saw the awesome power of the people changing policies and changing history, she said.

9. Speaking of her personal ordeal she said that she lost her two brothers who were both victims of political assassination and her husband spent eleven and a half years of our married life behind prison walls.

10. "I was imprisoned for almost six years as was my Mother. We were hunted, hounded and exposed to psychological warfare to break our spirit. Our faith in God, the people of our country and the righteousness of our cause sustained us through the bitter days and nights", she said.

11. Recalling her last meeting with her father in the Jail she said "When I took my leave of him from the dark death cell in which the tyrants had imprisoned him, I promised to keep alive his dream of a democratic Pakistan".

12. "Since then I have never wavered in my commitment to democracy. I raised my children as a single parent coping with the demands of a family, a political career and litigation. As a Mother, I suffered the most when I had to leave my children when they were small. I had shifted them to London and then Dubai while I continued to live in Pakistan for a while".

13. The former Prime Minister said that she did not choose this life. It chose her, she said. "It was never my goal to be a political leader". And if this life was her destiny then she embraced it due to circumstances beyond her control, she said.

14. Paying tributes to her father she said that Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a reformer who dedicated himself to the freedom and social emancipation of the people of Pakistan. "He taught me to be proud of my religion Islam, a religion that proclaimed the equality of men and women".

15. She said that when she returned to Pakistan after completing her studies, an army coup took place. "We did not know during that long dark night of the coup whether we would live or die".

16. Following is the text of her full speech:

17. "It is an honour for me to join with you this evening. I am thankful to Magrudy's for arranging this event for the launch of my autobiography.

18.  "I have often shopped at Magrudy's with my children. In those days I never dreamt that I would be visiting for the launch of the republished version of my memoirs. It is a special honour for me to be here this evening to meet with you.

19. "Last winter I had the opportunity to republish my book. I took that opportunity to share with a new generation my life as a Muslim woman in a largely Muslim country.

20. "The tragedies, the triumphs, the turbulence in Pakistani society mirror my life as a woman, a political activist and as a Muslim.

21. "As I say in my book, I did not choose this life. It chose me.

22. "It was never my goal to be a political leader.

23. "Some say it was my destiny, but if so, it was one I embraced due to circumstances beyond my control.

24. "My father Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a reformer who dedicated himself to the freedom and social emancipation of the people of Pakistan.

25. "He taught me to be proud of my religion Islam, a religion that proclaimed the equality of men and women.

26. "My father was determined that I would have the same rights as my brothers. At the age of sixteen I left for Harvard University on the east coast of America.

27. "The burgeoning movement for women's rights empowered and emboldened me. I had always been inspired by the example of Bibi Khadija, the wife of the Holy Prophet of Islam, who was a working woman and the first to give witness to the revelation of the Holy Quran.

28. "But above all, in England and America I saw the awesome power of the people changing policies and changing history.

29. "When I returned to Pakistan after completing my studies, an army coup took place. We did not know during that long dark night of the coup whether we would live or die.

30. "My Father was arrested, released, rearrested and finally hanged.

31. "When I took my leave of him from the dark death cell in which the tyrants had imprisoned him, I promised to keep alive his dream of a democratic Pakistan.

32. "Since then I have never wavered in my commitment to democracy.

33. "The battle for democracy has not been an easy one. I lost my two brothers who were both victims of political assassination. My husband spent eleven and a half years of our married life behind prison walls.

34. "I was imprisoned for almost six years as was my Mother. We were hunted, hounded and exposed to psychological warfare to break our spirit. Our faith in God, the people of our country and the righteousness of our cause sustained us through the bitter days and nights.

35. "I raised my children as a single parent coping with the demands of a family, a political career and litigation. As a Mother, I suffered the most when I had to leave my children when they were small. I had shifted them to London and then Dubai while I continued to live in Pakistan for a while.

36. "I had been told that I could never be elected Prime Minister of Pakistan because I am a woman.

37. "The religious parties opposed a woman leading a Muslim country. However some religious scholars supported me.

38. "My political struggle became a treatise of Islam and the rights of women.

39 "As a woman, I feel a special responsibility towards women everywhere. As Prime Minister I opened up job and credit opportunities for women in the country. I opened up opportunities for young people by investing in education and health.

40. "Long before terrorism or religious extremism became part of the international discourse, I confronted those forces in my country.

41. "Since the undemocratic overthrow of my government in 1996, Pakistan has witnessed many critical moments.

42. "Three years after my removal from office, a military coup took place in 1999.

43. "I believe the restoration of democracy is critical to the future direction of Pakistan and to the South Asian Region.

44. Thank You"