Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s visionary leadership shaped the events of the contemporary age according to the needs of the time. His vision was futuristic. His policies became the guiding principles for all times to come. The way he coped with most difficult circumstances and insurmountable difficulties and solved the trying problems of his country, made him a legend. His history offers us two approaches to study the theory of great men: First, history makes great men and the second, great men make history. Similarly, a renowned historian once alluded that history is the mere biography of great men. Thus, a concise look at the history of Pakistan suggests that if Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the maker of Pakistan, then Quaid-e-Awam, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the architect of Pakistan. Post-independent Pakistan’s history was taken hostage by the feudal autocrats and military-bureaucratic despots which led to the tragic disintegration of the country in 1971. And it was Quaid-e-Awam who lifted the forlorn Pakistan and made it stand on its feet. Soon after the fall of Dhaka, the first elected prime minister of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, appeared on national TV and promised to build a new Pakistan; a Pakistan free of exploitation and social injustices, and history stands witness to the fact that he built a new Pakistan as envisaged by its founders: towards a welfare Islamic Republic.

Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s visionary leadership shaped the events of the contemporary age according to the needs of the time. His policies became the guiding principles for all times to come. The way he coped with most difficult circumstances and insurmountable difficulties and solved the trying problems of his country, made him a legend in his life time, not only in his own country but also in the world. He changed the course of history in South Asia in the sense that his courageous actions and overwhelming influence saved his country from further disintegration and united it with the binding force of Islamic Socialism and wide ranging social, political, economic, industrial, labour, educational, administrative reforms.

But the chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was born to accomplish great deeds. He inspired his nation with a new hope and proved his worth by immediately launching courageous and revolutionary political, economic, agrarian, educational, industrial, labour, administrative and social reforms and saved his war-weary and famished country from total collapse and utter ruination. Pakistan, politically shattered and economically doomed, entered 1972, under the wise and dynamic leadership of president Bhutto, with much of the self-confidence restored and was ready to gain equilibrium. The frustrated and the defeated nation of the 1971 war with India, now under the guidance of an energetic, intelligent, brave, industrious, patriotic and able leader was slowly gaining momentum, power and prestige. The dawn of the new era was dimly visible and the new Pakistan of president Bhutto’s conception was slowly-emerging from the ashes of the old feudal, discredited and dismembered Pakistan and was taking concrete shape.

Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has earned a place in the pantheon of Islamic Leaders who earned everlasting fame in the struggle against colonialism and imperialism. The politics of Pakistan revolves round his name who set the guiding principles for political, social and economic spheres. Born on January, 5, 1928 in Larkana, Bhutto went on to become a legend in the politics of Pakistan. Bhutto’s foundation of PPP in 1967 was a set back for the reactionary forces in a country long dominated by the Right. The slogan of ‘Roti, Kapra Aur Makan’ shifted the focus of Pakistan politics from theological to economic issues. This focus has never shifted back. He was the voice of the voiceless and the guiding light of the oppressed and marginalised peasants, workers, women and the youth of Pakistan. Bhutto nationalised the commanding heights of the economy and transferred resources towards the dominant rural economy by setting higher prices for agricultural products and by introducing the land reforms of 1972.

Bhutto’s finest hour came in the reconstruction of Pakistan after the traumatic dismemberment of Pakistan upon the fall of Dacca on December 16, 1971. He successfully put the derailed nation back on the track by rebuilding national institutions. He raised the morale of a demoralised nation, recovered 5000 sq miles of territory and brought back 90,000 prisoners of war. Bhutto’s contribution in fortifying the prosperity, integrity and security of Pakistan has been phenomenal. He established the Pakistan

Steel Mill, Heavy Mechanical Complex Taxila, Port Qasim Authority, Pakistan Ordnance Factory, the Karakoram Highway and the Kamra Aeronautical Complex. Bhutto paved the road not only for the industrial progress in Pakistan but also set benchmarks for educational, literary and cultural progress. The establishment of National Council of Arts, Academy of Letters, Pakistan Lok Versa, National Book Foundation, Quaid-e-Azam and Alama Iqbal Open University improved the image of Pakistan in the World. It was due to his efforts that the issue of Aid to the poorest Islamic Countries was raised in the OIC Summit at Lahore in 1974.

The Constitution of 1973, passed unanimously, is yet another lasting legacy of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Shaheed. Time has shown that it cannot be replaced. The Senate of Pakistan was created in which the provinces had equal representation, in order to redress the balance of power issue. The creation of Council of Common Interest also gave the provinces a greater weight in the federal dispensation. It was Bhutto who established Azad Kashmir as an autonomous area and gave Balochistan provincial status.

Bhutto was the founder of Pakistan’s nuclear program. He developed Pakistan into a unique Muslim State with a nuclear capability for which he paid with his life. In his book “If I am assassinated” written from the death cell, Bhutto revealed how Kissinger had said, “We will make an example of you”. His mission was to develop Pakistan as a modern, democratic nation free from exploitation and dogmatism. He helped the people of Pakistan in shaping their own destiny.

The age of Bhutto was an age of revolution. Although his life and career were cruelly terminated, he set a glorious example of martyrdom for the cause of resurrection of democracy. He had the courage to lay down his life rather than compromise or seek appeasement. He was not only a spokesman of the Islamic world but also the leading light of the third world countries. Today, on his 84th birthday we pay homage to a legendary son of Pakistan who was brutally and judicially murdered for his conviction of principles and ideals in his struggle to rebuild Pakistan as a federal, democratic and egalitarian state. Let us join our hands together to carry forward the mission of Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to defeat all anti democratic forces, the menace of extremism and terrorism which is gnawing the very roots of our great nation.

The writer is adviser to chief minister Sindh for media and secretary information PPP women wing Sindh