In the annals of political history, few people have sacrificed as much as the Bhutto family. From Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s judicial assassination to the martyrdom of his daughter Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in a bomb and gun attack at a political rally in Rawalpindi – the Bhutto family has given its all for democracy in Pakistan.
Taking Over the Reins of a Traumatized Party and Nation
A very young Bilawal was forced to take the mantle of leadership after the tragic death of his brave mother created a political vacuum. He was only in his teens when he became the Pakistan People’s Party chairman on 30 December 2007.
This, however, was no fairy tale leadership change – but the need of the moment as the nation grappled with the truly horrific reality of a party and country that had been so suddenly left rudderless.
Pakistan at large and the Bhutto family, in particular, have been no strangers to violence. However, the sheer magnitude of this assassination shook the whole world.
It was at this time that Bilawal stepped in to fill the void. The nation heeded his call as he declared that “democracy is the best revenge,” and the PPP formed the next government in Pakistan in 2008.
Despite massive rigging claims, the scion of the Bhutto dynasty not only won his maiden seat in parliament and helped steer the country out of turmoil. Indeed, the 2008 to 2013 PPP-led period is considered a watershed of peace, stability, and prosperity in Pakistan’s turbulent political and economic history.
Running Pakistan’s most popular political party and simultaneously keeping the morale of the nation high was no easy task for a teenager who had recently lost his mother to a wonton act of senseless violence. Add to that the fact that he had to continue his education while navigating Pakistan’s increasingly volatile and chequered political minefield.
Most people might succumb to many challenges coupled with the grief of losing their mother early in life. However, Bilawal was made of sterner stuff and has lived up to the glorious Bhutto legacy by giving his all for his beloved country.
Party Politics: The Formative Years
Unlike many other politicians, Bilawal Bhutto did not rush to acquire a seat in the Pakistani parliament when he turned 25. Instead, he continued his studies at his mother’s alma mater, i.e., Oxford University.
Politically speaking, his coming of age was like a breath of fresh air as he continuously lambasted his opponents with rather tongue-in-cheek videos. He also made sarcastic tweets criticizing military dictators and their lackeys. In addition, he held a series of musical extravaganzas, starting his cultural campaign from Moen-Jo-Daro. A city whose ancient ruins range back to the very beginning of human civilization. Perhaps fittingly enough, it is also close to the ancestral seat of the Bhutto clan in Larkana.
Bilawal’s political debut heralded a new era in Pakistani politics and culture. Indeed his musical power shows were designed to highlight Pakistan’s ‘cultural emergency’ and stop its slow slide toward religious fanaticism and extremism.
He not only broke the rules where the usually dour and humorless politicians are concerned but made his presence felt by adding a touch of mischief to his debut. His festival moved from city to city, highlighting many of Pakistan’s hitherto neglected cultural and architectural icons. Indeed, the very motto of the festival, “preserve, protect, promote,” highlighted the fact that it was both a political and cultural message. At the same time, the massive jamborees and humorous videos ensured the world knew he was there to stay!
For Bilawal, politics is just one of the many battles for Pakistan’s soul. By holding combined political and entertainment events at the launch of his political career, he showed that his battle was both political and cultural.
He had always wanted to win back the ‘societal space’ that had been ceded over the years to all kinds of hard-line religious outfits. But unfortunately, not only is religious obscurantism undermining Pakistan’s indigenous culture, but it is also helping terror outfits like the TTP to grow and flourish.
This is why he debuted with concerts and even traditional kite-flying events, even though ultra-conservative clerics regard it as anathema to their way of life. In his own words, “This is the beginning of our counter-narrative. The beginning of our (social and) cultural fight back.”
It would not be wrong to assert that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is not just a political leader but a cultural one. He has dedicated his life to keeping the retrogressive and obscurantist anti-democracy forces at bay.
Bilawal Bhutto’s Rise to Political Maturity
Over the years, Bilawal has become a seasoned politician and a force to be reckoned with in Pakistani politics. He has a vision for the nation and is determined to see it through. He has spoken at length about the dire need for education reform and good governance in Pakistan.
He understands the critical importance of focusing on the country’s youth. This is a massive undertaking because of Pakistan’s significant youth bulge. No one knows the legacy of his family better than Bilawal himself. He is focused on keeping it alive by creating a better and more vibrant Pakistan with sheer hard work and iron-willed determination.
Push for Universal Education
He has been continuously pushing for universal enrolment in various educational institutions all over the country, especially in the smaller provinces of the nation. He wants to emulate this approach all over the country so that no child in Pakistan is deprived of an education. He also firmly believes in universal healthcare. Ultimately, this is the best way and the ‘only’ means of making Pakistan a cradle-to-grave welfare state.
The Importance of Good Governance in Pakistan
Bilawal Bhutto also focused on the seminal importance of attracting more international businesses ever to the country for investment purposes. He is a vocal proponent of DFI (direct foreign investment) in Pakistan.
He has always maintained that greater economic opportunities will not only help build the country but also aid in preventing what he refers to as the ‘brain drain epidemic.’ That is a permanent loss of highly qualified professionals and experts to other countries since they offer much better salaries and opportunities.
However, this is only possible courtesy of good governance since all economic progress hinges on social and political stability. In the long term, prosperity is a by-product of stability, and the former is impossible without the latter.
This is precisely why Bilawal insists that good governance is necessary for the nation’s progress. He wants other countries to invest in Pakistan since it’s a highly lucrative and upwardly mobile market. Here, his idea of good governance involves the deliverables of tangible outcomes that are enumerated in the People’s Party manifesto. Ultimately, every Pakistani should be able to benefit from the increasing prosperity of the country. He considers it his responsibility to accommodate every demographic segment in the nation.
Carrying on His Father’s Legacy as the Incumbent Foreign Minister of Pakistan
A vote of no confidence against the PTI-led government swept it from power. This gave the combined opposition parties a chance to get together to find a way to pull Pakistan out of its morass of economic despair.
The People’s Party, in particular, got the chance to represent the federation once again, and now the party holds key positions in the federal government. Ranging from the Ministry of Climate Change to the Ministry of Social Safety And Poverty Alleviation, PPP’s ministers are working night and day to make Quaid’s dream about Pakistan come true. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs portfolio is arguably the single most important one in the federal cabinet right now.
Our burgeoning foreign debt, coupled with the extremely high fuel prices, has created a situation where we are faced with the very real threat of bankruptcy. This nightmare situation had been created due to the ham-handed foreign policy measures of the previous dispensation that led Pakistan up the path of economic isolation.
Healing the rifts is not an easy task at all. However, young Bilawal has his maternal grandfather’s genes. After all, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was, without a doubt, the single best foreign minister to have ever represented Pakistan throughout its chequered history.
From his fiery speeches at the UN to his able defense of Pakistan’s cause in the country’s war with neighboring India in the 1960s – Zulfi Bhutto’s name is still taken in hushed tones at foreign services academies over the world. Yet, he was the actual personification of how a national leader represents his people globally!
Bilawal Bhutto: Making Sure the Pakistani Flag Flies High
Today, Bilawal is following in his illustrious grandfather’s footsteps and making a name for himself on the world stage. Like the elder Bhutto, the younger one also started his ministerial career as Pakistan’s foreign minister. His first order of business has been to repair the damage of yesteryears and help lead Pakistan back into the fold amongst its brother countries.
The previous government had done near irreparable harm to our ties with the west and the US by making false and absurd conspiracy allegations. Ordinary Pakistanis had to pay the price as dollar rates registered a steep increase, followed by surging inflation for even staple items.
However, the 33-year-old Oxford-educated politician proved his grandfather’s legacy true and set about repairing the damage. Not only has he managed to fix ties with the US, but Pakistan is now en route to exiting the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list.
Helping the Nation Stage a ‘Comeback from the Brink’
This was no mean achievement at all. This holds particularly true, keeping in mind that the former serving prime minister had called the world’s most notorious terrorist a ‘shaheed’ (martyr) in a full session of the Pakistani parliament!
As of now, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon has also stated that Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto’s foreign visits have been undertaken to explore trade opportunities. Moreover, they are the ideal way of restoring ties with other friendly countries.
It would not be wrong to assert that FM Bilawal has become a catalyst for change and has already reset many relationships with our friends and allies on the global stage. He has also helped remove the misunderstandings that had crept into our foreign relations because of the sheer incompetence of previous administrations.
Removal from the Grey List
After the previous government had adopted a policy of reckless confrontation with the US government, it fell on FM Bilawal to help ease Pakistan out of its predicament. Unlike his political opponents, he refused to blame anyone else for their foreign policy blunders but put Pakistan above petty political considerations. Here he showed the same statesmanship for which his grandfather was justifiably famous. Indeed his diplomatic skills played a vital role in securing Pakistan’s exit from the ‘grey list of the FATF and thereby helped secure Pakistan’s future.
What is the FATF?
This intergovernmental body was formed to combat money laundering operations, especially at the national level. As a result, the global agency plays a key role in identifying and preventing terror financing worldwide. Both members and many non-members alike treat its policies as law, and its jurisdiction extends to 200 nations all over the globe.
The ‘Grey List’ status means that a nation is being closely monitored and is just one step away from being blacklisted and shut out from the global economy. Considering Pakistan’s precarious economic position, being blacklisted is an existential threat!
However, Pakistan has been accepted into the comity of nations on FM Bilawal’s watch, and we are now just one formal step away from being removed from the FATF’s grey list. This achievement has ensured Bilawal’s legacy, as the nation has been saved from a complete and unmitigated disaster.
Conclusion
From the horrific way in which he was thrust into the limelight on that fateful December day in 2007 to his current achievements as Pakistan’s youngest foreign minister. There can be no doubt that Bilawal Bhutto has continued his mother’s mission to serve the people of Pakistan.
He is the living embodiment of the Bhutto spirit. A spirit that has sacrificed so much for the good of the people and the land.
Under Bilawal’s leadership, success is not just assured – it is our destiny!
