Outspokens political news check has the legend Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (SZAB), a name that carried all the charisma to shake the imperialist world to its foundations. He was not an ordinary man that graced the political horizon of Pakistan but was also seen as a beacon for the oppressed nations of the third world and Islamic world. S.ZAB an Oxford Graduate was truly in the league of Karl Marx, Burton Russell and Kant in his Philosophical and Ideology and thoughts but his sheer practicality places him high above others that brought change to world by their ideology. Since his early days while starting his career his speeches, lectures and articles were reflecting that a great savior is in making. Such was the charisma of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto that entire Third world from Libya to Indonesia were mesmerized by his leadership and He gave an ever lasting Ideology which Karl Marx and others failed to produce though their concepts prevailed for a while. An Idea, Theology, or Economic system when conceptualized with the consciousness as a frozen axiom in terms of acceptance, becomes a matter of faith. He brought religion, Economy and democracy under one Charter which was not only the need of those times but also had a complete insight of 21th century’s challenges. Islam is our religion, is what united these leaders. The crushing defeat of six Islamic armies in six days by Israel had demoralized entire Islamic world. It was ZAB that brought together all the important leaders of Islamic world namely Shah Faisal, Yasser Arafat, Qaddafi, Raza Shah, Ehde Ameen etc. in 2nd Islamic countries Conference held in Lahore in 1974. He briefed and convinced them of their potential and warned them not become stooges of the west by joining either of the blocks as he was a strong supporter of the Non Allied Movement. He presented a scintillating idea based on the eternal religion of Islam and it was the formation of Islamic Block. He advocated the formation of Islamic Bank to redirect the flow of investments towards the betterment of people of Islamic nations. He suggested that all the investments made by Islamic countries in west should be withdrawn and invested with the Islamic Bank for the purpose of Industrialization, prosperity and economic activity. This could have had serious consequences on the western state Companies had this been materialized. In this regard ZAB suggested that all the Oil facilities in Gulf Countries should be nationalized as at that time the Lion’s share of the profits was sucked up by the Imperialist Companies and a token money was paid to the country of origin. He presented the idea of Islamic army consisting of all the Islamic states to face any threat of aggression and to provide deterrence to the weaker Islamic states against the Zionist Expansionist agenda. He knew that The Communist Block and US Block were using weak Islamic countries to their usage and they may get destroyed between the clash of titans. The most Important was acquiring the nuclear Technology for the purpose of making an Islamic Bomb to bring Islamic forces at a level of military superiority where all threats can be neutralized. Thats why he has been referred as the father of Islamic Bomb. Ironically The concept of Islamic Bomb remained intact till a Dictator took the honor away from the Ummah and made it a solely a Pakistani Bomb. This agenda proved fatal for ZAB as Henry Kissinger the then Secretary of State said on record that ZAB should refrain from his pursuit or else he would be made an example for the rest. Unfortunately the major players of this declaration were victimized isolated and killed brutally by the imperialist powers. Shah Faisal was killed, Bhutto was hanged; Qaddafi and Ammen were isolated while Arafat was declared a Terrorist. The manifestation of PPP was not a mere word of democracy but infact the only true example of active democracy by, of and for the people was only demonstrated by ZAB as he brought every matter of national interest in the court of people and discussed the policies in open rallies with the people. He considered Democracy as the only way to put together a ruined nation back on its track. He championed his cause when he inspite of having two third majority, got 73’s constitution signed by every political party of Pakistan including nationalist and religious parties. The political consciousness and democratic wisdom attainted by our general public can only be attributed to Quaid-e Awam that people took hold of their destiny while having a clear idea of their destination. He knew that democracy has fashioned the minds of a younger generation and he read it clearly while pledging to eat grass and fight for thousand years for the cause of Kashmir. He assured that Pakistan would not become at any cost the victim of nuclear blackmailing of India By Socialism SZAB meant a political and economic system or policy of social organization which advocated that the community as a whole should own and control the means of production, capital, land, property, etc. Keeping in view the words of Quaid-e-Azam, ZAB’s socialism was not an un-Islamic provision but had a broader Islamic injection of equality humanity into its causes. At that time the total wealth of Pakistan was concentrated in the hands of 22 families whom also happened to be the ruling class of Pakistan. The laborers and farmers were in poor condition while landlords were all powerful to manipulate and exploit the oppressed and needy. He worked on clear manifesto for social empowerment and redistributive justice, equitable distribution of wealth and that the major gains of economic activity must trickle down to the masses. The farmers were made the landlords and the laborers were given their rights and a platform in shape of labor unions to extend their voice collectively so that they can be heard seriously in the power corridors. The minimum wages were raised, land reforms were introduced heavy mechanical complexes were established which were great achievements no other government had ever undertaken in Pakistan. Modern era and present economic situation is witness to the fact all the capitalist economies are at their saturation point while the socialist economy of China has made it an economic Giant of the Modern times. This is perhaps the most important feature of SZAB ideology that made him the most admired leader of the entire third world’s population. it engulfed the Pakistani nation to an extend that PPP only after three years of its inception achieved a landslide victory which enlightened the masses and a new generation was grown with a political wisdom and self belief. All this happened in the darkest times of our history when nation was down trodden with the separation of East Pakistan. There was no political activity among the people of Pakistan and any general could acquire the reins of power at his sweet will. At a time when Pakistan, under a fascist Dictator Ayub Khan, surrendered the Kashmir cause in Tashkent Pact He resigned from the cabinet and stood against the tyrant of his times. He involved the nation in the process of decision making and now the policies concerning the country were not made in GHQ or the drawing rooms of the Generals and their stooges. He was the first one to challenge the feudal system and gave political consciousness to the ordinary masses by making them believe deep inside that its they that constitute the federation of Pakistan and in this regard they are the supreme source of power and can decide the fate of their country by participating in the political process. Ayub Khan once said that this nation cannot produce a Constitution as it has not in 22 years But SZAB gave us a Constitution in two years which not a single party disputes till date. The international achievements of SZAB cannot be overlooked. Pakistan was hand cuffed by military pacts with the West in 60’s. it was the political wisdom of SZAB that he was able to establish contacts with Russia and secure Aid from it not to mention that Russia was the staunchest ally of India in those times. He laid the foundation of Sino-Pak friendship which till date is the most important feature of Pakistan’s foreign policy The recent induction of JF- thunder Fighter planes is the sky high example of that friendship. It was his relentless efforts that provided China a permanent Seat in the security council of United Nations. But Imperialists could not swallow what they saw as the biggest threat to their hegemony. How could they have foregone their authority on oil and raw materials of the third world in general and Islamic world in particular and most importantly how could they have digested an Islamic Block and a United Nations of Islamic countries. SZAB said to the heads of Islamic states in Lahore , with 80 % of the world Oil and Gas and 70 % of Human and material resources. An army with religious fervor and Zeal and a Chain of Borders glued together, what else is required to attain economic prosperity and Peace. He was assassinated by a stooge of imperialists who had no regard and vision and killed the best and only hope of the people of Pakistan. He did not die actually as his philosophy became the difference between the masses and establishment and from there political horizon was split between Pro and Anti Bhutto parties. A western political analyst said once it’s the miracle of PPP that its leader has always led his country from grave. Pakistan and Libya have had a very unique relationship with more ups and downs than an Alfred Hitchcock movie. While some say Bhutto had traded in the Lahore Stadium for Libya`s financial assistance to his government, and many more jobs for Pakistanis than the sheer number of people who had greeted Qaddafi at the very stadium, during the 1974 OIC summit but it was infact a brilliant foreign policy move to have a foothold in North Africa further off from the conventional gulf states. Right after Bhutto was deposed and later hanged Gaddafi’s reaction was swift he issued secret orders for the expulsion of all the 150,000 Pakistanis residing in Libya at that time. As Ambassador Shahid Amin recalls in his book ’Reminiscences of a Pakistani diplomat’ when he tried to get in contact with the head of the Asia Section at the Libyan foreign office (who had earlier served as the Libyan Ambassador to Pakistan from 1973-76) he replied by saying he was no one to challenge Gaddafi’s authority. As the news spread there was a growing panic in the Pakistani community. Eventually it was on 23 March 1980 speaking at Pakistan Day celebrations in Tripoli the Ambassador made one of the most difficult speeches of his career when he informed the community that “Pakistanis were proud, patriotic and would not allow anybody to insult their county. Those who thought Pakistanis would sell their honour for the sake of some jobs were sadly mistaken.’’ and preparations were being made for their repatriation. Some Libyans even told their leaving Pakistani friends that they were lucky that they were being asked to leave, while Libyans were the unlucky ones that they cannot leave the country. The Pakistani military deputationists in Libya did stay even during troubled years with instances of unfriendly treatment but matters came to halt in 1980 after an ugly incident. When a Pakistani air force officer and his wife were departing Tripoli airport a Libyan customs officer was rude and evidently tried to push them. The Pakistani officer’s wife was infuriated and slapped the Libyan, a ring on her finger reportedly bruised his face. The couple was arrested until the Pakistani air force contingent head contacted the chief of the Libyan airforce and soon after Pakistan decided to pull out all military personnel immediately. Gaddafi’s long obsession for mercenaries in Libya which we have clearly seen in the last few months actually started with acquiring them from Pakistan. Libya as of early 1981 started hiring retired Pakistani soldiers under the pretext of security guards but the moment they landed in Tripoli they were taken in special buses to desert sites and kept in isolation with rigorous military training. It was not until someone brought a match box to the embassy with a SOS message the officials intervened to secure the release of the missing Pakistanis and they were finally released and flown back home. A new crisis developed in March 1981 when hijackers of a PIA aircraft carrying 150 passengers forced the plane to proceed to Libya. Murtaza Bhutto had setup Al-Zullfiqar which carried out a number of militant acts against the Zia regime. After a Pakistani diplomat who was a son of an army general was killed and thrown of the plane the Zia government accepted their demands for the release of a large number of PPP’s activist. Although Libyan government refused landing rights and the plane proceeded to Syria. The ambassador received reports that the three hijackers later stayed in Libya. Gaddafi also hosted Benzair Bhutto in Libya during the difficult Zia era which was confirmed to Ambassador Shahid Amin by Gaddafi himself. The Ambassador also confirmed that the colorful stories in the media that Libyan planes carrying cash dollars never arrived in Pakistan to finance the nuclear programme. With worsening of relations with Pakistan, Gaddafi’s Islamic socialism converted into more soviet style socialism. While Libya’s relations worsened with the US & Europe after its involvement in bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Scotland. PPP’s governments during the 90s did not stay in power for long to make any concrete improvements in the relations with Libya. It was not until they came back to power in 2008 when the relations were restarted which paved way for President Zardari’s May 2009 visit to Libya. He termed Libya as his “second home’’. ‘’This is my second visit to Libya. I came once before with my martyr wife Benazir Bhutto and our family ties with Kadhafi are strong,” he said. There were around 30,000 Pakistanis residents of Libya by then and a MOU was signed to send 50,000 more skilled workers to Libya by the end of the year. Which again had to repatriated after the February 17, 2011 uprising. Gadaffi’s interest in acquiring nuclear technology had been long standing for his self image and as a deterrent says BBC’s Gordon Corera in the book Shopping for Bombs. Some believe that it is possible Pakistani officials including Dr A Q Khan believed somehow they owed Libya for its initial support or there was secret deal of sharing of expertise. Whatever that was it turned out to be a nightmare for Pakistan when Gaddafi in 2003 through his intelligence Chief Musa Kusa turned over the centrifuge designs to the CIA in return for legitimacy causing Pakistan international isolation..
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 01:33:39 +0000
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