Source: Daily Mail UK
TV journalist Daphne Barak has befriended many of the world leaders she has interviewed - from Nelson Mandela to Shimon Peres - but none became such a close friend as Benazir Bhutto. Here she reveals the private world of the murdered former Pakistan prime minister. “Daphne, you don’t want me to go back home?” asked Benazir Bhutto. She knew the answer - we’d been having the same debate for months.
Benazir was a close friend of mine and, even before an assassination attempt on her life in October this year, I was against her returning to Pakistan.
“You know how I feel,” I said. “It’s a trap! You fell into it, but you can still get out…”
“I can’t,” Benazir replied, sounding stressed. “You see Daphne,they are expecting me in Pakistan. They know Washington is supporting me. My photos are already all over the streets. Asif [her husband] and I are taking into account what you are saying. But how can I back out? It’s too late. And if I don’t go now, I might as well just quit politics forever.”
Benazir ‘Bibi’ Bhutto with friend and journalist Daphne Barak (copyright Daphne Barak)
She was confident in the support of the Bush Administration. But I wasn’t so sure. I had a bad feeling about it and when I last saw her I became emotional. I knew I wouldn’t see her again. She came over and hugged me. I cried. She didn’t. She just held me tighter.
The Benazir I knew and loved was the most extraordinary woman. Everyone knows she was brilliant and extremely ambitious but what very few people know - and I am privileged to be one of those - was that she was also what I would call a girlie-girl who loved to talk about skincare and hairstyles.
Benazir, who used to sign off her emails to me with the name Bibi, was one of those rare women who had the ability to move a conversation from heavy politics to lightweight gossip in the space of a minute.
Benazir was like a big sister to me. I am still trying to come to terms with the loss of someone so close to me. We met for the first time while she was serving a second term as Pakistani prime minister when she gave me an exclusive interview in June 1995 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the United Nations.
We got on well and met again in 2000 at the home of our mutual friend Esther Coopersmith, who is known in Washington as the hostess with the mostest. Benazir was no longer in power but Esther had arranged an amazing lunch for her, and everything from plates, napkins and even food was in either green or white, the colours of the Pakistani flag.
The loving mother: Benazir with her children Biliwal, Bakhtwar, and Aseefa. She is described by Daphne as ‘ a cross between an earth mother and a Jewish mother’
From then on Benazir and I developed an increasingly close friendship.
When we met - usually in New York, sometimes in London - we talked about politics, of course. I knew she was determined to bring democracy back to Pakistan and I would sometimes arrange parties for her and make sure she met the right politicians in a private and relaxed setting.
But, as so often happens with powerful women I interview, like Hillary Clinton and Segolene Royal, I also had the great fortune to get to know her as a woman, wife, mother and friend, the sides she revealed only to people she could trust, and these are the areas I want to concentrate on.
As a woman she was very different from the tough politician she presented to the world. She wasn’t, as some have said, a brutal man in feminine clothing.
She was just like so many women. She was always keen to lose weight and wanted to look younger and healthier. We discussed girlie subjects alone and when men were present.
Benazir had a very good appetite and particularly loved Italian and French food. When we went to restaurants together - only those that were off the beaten track so we would not be snapped by the paparazzi - she would always order three courses.She particularly loved desserts and cakes and chocolates. She also gained weight from stress.
No one would recognise her when we went on our dinner dates. She would dress very casually, usually in a blouse and slacks, and her hair would be uncovered.
Sometimes she wanted to diet. I introduced her to my own private general practitioner Mark Hyman, who lives in New York, and he worked out diet regimes for her.
The family home in Surrey where Benazir spent some of her time in exile. The politician also had a home in Dubai
Dr Hyman would prescribe a powder that had to be made up into some kind of milkshake. You drank that and ate only vegetables for three days at a time. I found it disgusting, but Benazir persevered and would ring or email me from Dubai or wherever she was, thrilled when she’d lost a few pounds.
“Daphne,” she would say. “It’s wonderful I have lost some weight. Please send me more of those detox powders.” She always took vitamins every day, too.
She cared about what she looked like under her clothes. I introduced her to Victoria’s Secret, the sexy stylish underwear company, whose range she loved and always wore. She was very Americanised and wore her headscarf only when it was politically correct to do so.
I helped her with her hair,too.My hairdresser, Diego, who works for the Regency Hotel in New York,would style her hair when she came to some of my parties. When she was in exile, I introduced her to influential people and she wanted to look her best.
She had the most wonderful, lush, thick, dark hair and she loved, literally, to let it down. But, of course, only in private.
Benazir was interested in the latest face and body creams and asked me for advice. I change brands all the time but my latest recommendation was Pria, created by a friend of mine. Benazir told me she loved it.
We often exchanged gifts - anything from the latest political books to very sensual candles.
Of course we talked a lot about men, as all women do when they get together. She enjoyed hearing in detail about other people’s love affairs but most of all she was totally fascinated by Princess Diana.
She knew I was friendly with Hasnat Khan, the Pakistani doctor whom Diana fell totally in love with before she died. Benazir enjoyed speculating endlessly about the couple’s relationship.
“I am curious to know why their love didn’t have a happy ending,” she would say. “I wonder if Diana was serious in her intentions to go and live in Pakistan. It would be hard for her.”
I also remember her discussing Diana’s relationship with Dodi Fayed shortly before the Princess died. “I am sure it is just a summer fling,” she said. “I firmly believe it is her attempt to lure Hasnat back to her. It won’t last.”
Doting: Benazir pictured with her husband Asif and Daphne (copyright Daphne Barak)
As far as her own love life went, she was completely and utterly in love with her husband Asif. In him she knew she had found a man who was confident and secure enough in himself to allow a woman to be really powerful and not to feel threatened.
Asif is also very liberal and they behaved like teenagers together. In public they were very restrained, but in private or with close friends they were very demonstrative and would hold hands and kiss. You could feel the passion between them.
She could be very giggly when she was with Asif and I can tell you he was the power behind her throne because although she was very strong-willed, she always wanted to please him.
He is really the one who has been calling the shots. He is a brilliant man and she always did everything political that he advised her to do. He will certainly run for office instead of her to maintain the legacy.
Of course Benazir and Asif did not spend very much time together throughout their 20-year marriage and had to face major challenges that not many other couples would have survived. In a way it made their relationship such a romantic one.
Asif was a rich playboy when he met the heiress of the political dynasty and became politically involved when he fell in love with her.
But in 1997 he was jailed on corruption charges and she didn’t see him at all for the seven years he was in prison. She used to joke to me: “My life is strange. It seems that either I am prime minister or my husband is in jail. There can’t be many like me.”
During the last three years or so they saw each other only about 25 days a year. Asif lived in New York where he was undergoing heart treatment while Benazir was in exile in Dubai but they would speak and email each other all the time.
Both Benazir and their children - Bilawal, Bakhtwar and Aseefa - would travel to New York to see Asif. She would say: “They must spend time together. It is very important that they know their father.”
It was hard for them all. Asif was trying to become a father and husband again, but he found coping with noise and even a lot of space very difficult after his years in confinement. Even going to a theatre was a problem and I remember him leaving one venue shortly after we had arrived because he couldn’t cope with the crowds.
Luxury lifestyle: A stuffed Bengal tiger was among one of the more bizarre possessions which greeted visitors to the Surrey mansion
Asif was living in an apartment hotel and initially wanted Benazir to stay somewhere else, mainly because he didn’t want to be recognised and also because it wasn’t romantic enough for her, but she gradually persuaded him that they should be together.
They had two dogs - one very small and one that looked like a horse - who both chewed all the furniture. Benazir didn’t complain. She didn’t even seem to mind that the flat was sparsely and simply furnished.
No one besides family and extremely close friends were invited to visit and anyway she had other more important things on her mind. She would say: “My mind is on politics. My home in New York is temporary. I am not interested in making it comfortable.”
She was very patient with her husband and he brought out the feminine side of her and liked her to shine. After his time in jail it was as if they found each other all over again.
I remember having a meal with them and some other friends. I had just come back from interviewing Segolene Royal, the Socialist candidate for the French presidency against Nicolas Sarkozy last May. Benazir wanted to know what Segolene wore and how was her relationship with her partner.
I told Benazir that Segolene resembled her.Asif responded forcefully and immediately. “Nobody is as beautiful as my wife,” he said. Benazir blushed deeply. She loved him saying that.
She was also a wonderful mother. I called her a cross between an earth mother and a Jewish mother because she was loving but also pushed her children to do better than their best. She was very hands-on with the children and they would tease and hug each other a lot. But she wasn’t at all strict.
She didn’t want to put any more pressure on them than they already had because of her political ambitions. I feel she was always trying to compensate. But even though she was easy-going, the children were very well mannered.
I met them all many times. When one of her daughters, I think it was Bakhtwar, decided she wanted to become a punk singer, Benazir asked me if I could introduce her to Puff Daddy, who I know, to give her advice about a career in music.
Socialite: Benazir meets Donatella Versace
She wasn’t snobbish about it. Nor did she seem in the least concerned about the implications it might have on her own political future.
Benazir was also particularly proud that her son Bilawal got into Oxford and made sure that both she and Asif took him up and helped him settle in, just as any parent would.
Benazir was a wonderful friend to me - the best friend you could ever have. I was staying at the Dorchester Hotel and was injured just as she arrived to spend a few days with me before her historic return to Pakistan.
Asif told her I couldn’t get out of bed but she wouldn’t take no for an answer and came up with creative solutions like going to Harry’s Bar wearing a jump suit to cover my injuries.
Despite what she was going through herself she would regularly email me to ask how I was and if I didn’t tell her exactly, she would remember to ask me again, and be very specific. Sometimes her emails made me laugh.
For ages it was impossible to use a Blackberry in Dubai, but that changed recently and so over the past six months she emailed me from it all the time. In an email about her plans for her farewell dinner in October, she wrote: “Wld u like to join me for dinner? I am having dinner at nine and cld collect you at 8.15. I am having dinner with a friend and I told him I wld like to bring you. Bibi.”
Later that day as we finalised our plans, she sent me another email: “Dinner at harry’s bar. Can u come in a jump suit? Do u want to check? If its not too late when we finish we will drop by for coffee. Let me know if harry’s bar allows u to come in a jump suit.”
After eight years in exile, Benazir finally returned to Pakistan on October 18 this year. There was an attempt on her life that very day at a homecoming rally in Karachi - a suicide bomber killed 140 people but Benazir escaped unhurt. I spoke to her on the phone and realised that she was suffering from trauma after the blast.
Relaxing: Benazir is photographed with Daphne (copyright Daphne Barak)
On November 3, Pakistan’s President Musharraf declared a state of emergency and suspended elections.
Suddenly, after being snubbed for nine years, Benazir was being feted by Washington. She thought this was fantastic news and that President Bush’s support would help her win the election in Pakistan.
But Asif asked me to check with my own contacts in Washington and Islamabad. I did and the information I got was that as soon as Musharraf ended the state of emergency, the Bush Administration would abandon its support for Benazir. She would be left extremely vulnerable. I thought it was a death trap.
On November 8, Benazir was placed under house arrest after threatening to join a protest rally against Musharraf. I rang several times before I managed to get my call answered.
I didn’t speak to her but she later called me back. She couldn’t talk freely as she knew her conversation would be overheard. She sounded frantic.
I asked her if she needed anything, meaning a book, face cream, perfume or me to contact anybody. She replied: “Yes. I need a bulldozer.” I couldn’t understand what she meant and thought she was talking in code.
Later Asif called me and said her house was surrounded by so many guards, Benazir needed a bulldozer to get out.
In one of our last phone calls, Benazir told me: “Washington is behind me. I can’t lose this opportunity. I have been waiting for it for nine years. We need to get Pakistan democratic again. I am needed here. It is now or never.”
I said: “There will be a better opportunity for you and I wouldn’t bet on Washington’s support. You have already been prime minister. Try something else.”
Again she didn’t listen. Once Benazir made up her mind about something, there was no way to change it. How I wish I could have made her think again. Bibi, I’ll miss you so.
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Tags: Benazir, Benazir Bhutto, Bhutto, elite, life, lifestyle, personal, Pictures, Zardari
58 responses so far ↓
1 Shehryar // Dec 31, 2007 at 5:28 pm
I think this article really exposes the type of person Benazir was, and the luxurious lifestyle she was living! She was a looter who looted the country while she was in power!
I would not have voted for her even when she was alive, and will still not vote for PPP!
2 ashghar // Dec 31, 2007 at 6:39 pm
hey shehryar, what is the article really exposing? i am not sure about the authenticity because it comes from daily mail, but all it shows is the humane side of benazir; and btw, her life style is FAR from being unique. A lot of people, regular business people life a more lavish life style - her’s was a very ‘normal’ life style.
I think Benazir was an outstanding person. How many successful women do you know with three kids and a pretty normal family with a normal relationship with her husband etc.. Stop being a unreasonable and blind in her hate. Everything aside, she was a successful woman, and could be a role model for A LOT of people. Give me example of a harvard-n-oxford graduate, two times prime minister (once as a the youngest “muslim” woman PM) with three kids and a normal husband (ignoring the jail time).
I do not support PPP but I do think she was a charismatic leader and a genius who achieved far more than many of her contemporaries or people before her did.
3 Hassan Abbas // Jan 1, 2008 at 1:48 am
I also have a pic of her in which she is half exposed. but i think it would be unfair to show these kind of pics now as she is died.
4 Maria // Jan 1, 2008 at 1:59 am
As a politician representing the downtrodden masses of pakistan - their usually 2 meals per day lifestyle minus any form of meat - this article would make me shrivel up in shame.
This article has been hugely useful in two ways.
1) It shows how many of our ‘exiled’ leaders spend their life away from their constituencies playing with the rich and powerful. I feel I can picture Nawaz, shahbaz sharif and altaf hussein’s daily routine now. Breakfast at 10, gym, hair transplant appointment, dinner with rich and famous of saudi/london.
2) It also proves her washington backing in unequal terms once and for all. Also it reveals what her version of democracy was. Coming back into power (”this is a chance I can’t miss”). There was only one way to fight for democracy - by showing solidarity with those protesting against dismissal of judiciary and insisting on a REAL caretaker govt. She chose a different path. One that would make her end in the PM house.
Maybe she cared about ppl of pakistan. Maybe she really did want to do change. But she wanted to only do it in the top position. Not as oppostion and without the govt salary and power.
5 Saeed Sahabzada // Jan 1, 2008 at 10:23 am
Benazir Bhutto like all other Bhutto proved one thing and that is best Bhuttos are dead Bhuttos.This is the most useless clan of the sub continent.Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto may he spent his life in the bottom of hell was responsible for killing of a million Bengalis because of his arrogance and stupidity.He chose Pakistan to split rather give due power and accept Mujibur Rahman.We as a country have not seen a true leader after Quad i Azam.
May Allah save Pakistan and protect our innocent simple poor people from the looters and thugs like The Shareefs,Bhuttos and Altaf Hussan.They are truly gangsters and do make Mafianos look innocents.
6 ashghar // Jan 1, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Hey people, the article doesn’t say ANYWHERE what was so lavish about BB’s life style. In fact, Zardari’s apartment wasn’t even furnished properly .Don’t you guys read or are you blinded by your ‘poor-pakistan’s-evil-rich-leader’ mentality. Masses are poor in Pakistan but that doesn’t mean rich can’t live decently. Buying victoria secret is NOT lavish. Getting treatment from US is NOT lavish. Surrey mansion is their legitimate property until proven otherwise.
In any case, i am not pro BB or pro PPP; but i am amazed at the silly comments posted by people here for a completely innocent article. Even the title of the news item is inappropriate.
7 ashghar // Jan 1, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Btw @hassan good for you that you have a young bb half exposed. In case, you don’t already know this lifestyle is quite common in the elite of Pakistan. Quaid-e-azam’s daughter married a non-muslim; and he was himself quite “modern”.
8 Saeed Sahabzada // Jan 2, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Asghar you dont get the point may be you have a thick head.Zardari and Bhutto like Shareefs and ex Chicago taxi driver guy Altaf Hussain stole money and use it for their luxurious life styles.Non of them are any leaders they are Choors/thugs/dum idiots.
Quaid I Azam himself was not a practising muslim by any means but he didnt steal from the country.He was a Shia/khooja type from the deviant sect.
9 ashghar // Jan 4, 2008 at 11:44 am
Saeed I think you should stop getting involved in rhetoric like a typical unparh who has apparently read some urdu newspaper and insists on know-it-all. Also try to read what I was writing :P
The article does NOT show Benazir living an extremely lavish life style. Most of our business families live a far more lavish life than that if Benzir’s or certainly Zardari’s.
The fact that Benazir or Quaid-e-Azam were modern, doesn’t mean that they are ‘bad’.
By the way, don’t blame your own poverty on these people. They have been rich. Shareef’s became rich BEFORE they came to politics; out of hardwork in business and not by looting. Bhutto belonged to a feudal family and was rich from before, her father was rich and her grandfather was in fact a knight in British empire and an ex-prime minister who ceded Junagard to Pakistan.
Pakistan is poor because people are complacent. No one likes to work. No one takes ownership of their work. People try to find short-cuts. People like you look down up hardworking ‘taxi drivers’ (btw you should be ashamed of your comment on taxi driver in particular). You despise hard-work. Basically it’s people like you who are keeping Pakistan down not the corrupt politicians. Japan has corrupt politicians as well, US does too, UK, China, Thailand, Malaysia… everyone does. But they do well, because people do well. Alas, most of our people are all talk only.
Oh and yeah you also claim to be a practicing Muslim apparently and look down up “shia/khooja type and deviant sect”. At best you are laughable-illiterate-metric-failed-pseudo-illectual-from-a-barber’s-shop. :P
10 Saeed Sahabzada // Jan 5, 2008 at 3:12 am
Ashgar
You are full of hot air.Defending the scum bags like Shareefs,Bhuttos and Altaf Ghonda tells me you are from same class and category.
Based upon that dealing with liquid shit like you will mean shit will be coming back on us.
The orignal rich business and industrialist families in Pakistan have left Pakistan long time back.It is the scum bags like you that are left.I am not living there now for 35 years.I dont read Urdu newspaper.Yes you are acting like a dehliwala unpurh .
11 Asar e Islam Syed MD // Jan 5, 2008 at 6:40 am
Let the dead be buried. Their matters are with the Lord. God Bless her soul. However, these are pictures of double standards and those who are comparing him with Jinnah, either don’t know about Jinnah or don’t know about her, or both.
Jinnah never engaged in any hypocrisy to please the masses or to win their votes. He won Pakistan, had an impeccable character which even his adversaries admired. Benazir was a depressed superstitious woman who, like her father, believed in attaining glory not through achievement or talent but through martyrdom. Martyrdom is the choice of the losers who have no talent and no belief in themselves.
The suicide bombers and Benazir are both similar kind of kind of losers. The erroneous belief that they hold unconsciously is that what one cannot attain by talent, since there is none, one can attain through a planned suicide. Hers was a suicide too. Such is the Bhutto legacy…full of sound and fury signifying nothing. Jinnah’s legacy is Pakistan.
12 Asar e Islam Syed MD // Jan 5, 2008 at 6:50 am
Let the dead be buried. Their matters are with the Lord. God Bless her soul. However, these are pictures of double standards and those who are comparing her with Jinnah, either don’t know about Jinnah or don’t know about her, or both.
Jinnah never engaged in any hypocrisy to please the masses or to win their votes. He won Pakistan, had an impeccable character which even his adversaries admired. Benazir was a depressed superstitious woman who, like her father, believed in attaining glory not through achievement or talent but through martyrdom. Martyrdom is the choice of the losers who have no talent and no belief in themselves.
The suicide bombers and Benazir are both similar kind of kind of losers. The erroneous belief that they hold unconsciously is this: what one cannot attain by talent, since there is none, one can attain through a planned suicide. Hers was a suicide too. Such is the Bhutto legacy…full of sound and fury signifying nothing. Jinnah’s legacy is Pakistan.
13 AIJAZ ALI KHAHRO // Jan 6, 2008 at 5:36 pm
WHEN I HEARD THE MOURNFUL NEWS OF SHAHADAT OF MOHTARMA BENAZIR BHUTTO, I REALISED THAT WORLD IS FINISHED AND A THOUGHT CAME IN TO MY MIND THAT THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT IS VERY CLOSE.ZIA’S DOGS ARE STILL ALIVE SO THE RESPONSIBLE OF THIS HEART BROKEN NEWS ARE THOSE ONLY NO ONE ELSE.THEY THOUGHT THAT BY KILLING Z.A.BHUTTO PPP WILL BE FINISHED BUT WE SAW THE RESULT OF BHUTTO’S SHAHDAT,PPP WAS MORE POWERFUL THEN.SO AS NOW INSHALLAH PPP WILL SURVIVE AND WILL GET SUCCESS IN LEADERSHIP OF BILAWAL BHUTTO.BHUTTO WAS ALIVE YESTERDAY,BHUTTO IS ALIVE TODAY AND BHUTTO WILL ALIVE TOMORROW(INSHALLAH).MAY ALLAH ALMIGHTY GIVE MOHTARMA’S SOUL REST AND PEACE AND GIVE HER PLACE NEAR HIS LOVING ONES IN PARADISE(INSHALLAH).
14 maasi // Jan 6, 2008 at 11:41 pm
they can live a lavish life on their own money if they want to but not on money stolen from pakistan do u think they would have been able to live a life like this ,on their own hard earned money i dont think so, as to pakistani business people living a more lavish life ,how can u compare the two,they atleast ,earned their money,just because their name is bhutto its ok for them to loot the country ?
15 maasi // Jan 6, 2008 at 11:44 pm
people who steal,kill,lie,dont get a place in jannet ,where do u live,?in a fool”s paradise?
16 Saeed Sahabzada // Jan 7, 2008 at 11:22 am
I agree with you Maasi.The Bhutto,s were the worst thief in Pakistan,s history.Look at this scum bag idiot Asif Zardari.The whole world know him as Mr 10%.The BHutto,s were typical Sindhi lootayras.Thanks Allah we dont have to put up with them.No one approves how BB was killed.It was wrong.But that shows that she wasnt satisfied with the first two LOOTS they did.They were coming back for the third one.I am glad our country didn,t go through that again.Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was a useless fagot who was a ganster and an arrogant bastard.He should have been hanged long time back.Zia did the right thing.PPP is a useless party.We are better off without democracy then to have the Thugs like Zardari/Bhuttos/Nawaz shareefs/Altaf Hussains.Musharraf is much better then these idiots.Pakistan cant and will not have the need for democracy for the next 25 years.Unless our people get educated it will and cant work.Our rich are rich because of the way they looted the Banks in the day light robberies.They took billions in loans and had the govt forgave their loans.Ayub Khan was the orignal Bastard that gave his son Gohar Ayub the Ghandara Industries for nothing.He formed the precedent
of real nepotism.His two sons left the army at the young age to look after the family”fortune”.Yahya Khan asked Ayub Khan why your sons aren,t fighting the war back in 1965 and he replied “who is going to take care of the family fortune”.So here we have it with our own shares of screw ups.
17 Dr Siddique // Jan 7, 2008 at 11:27 am
Aijaz Ali Kharoo.
Pakistan is better off without these Bhuttos.They were truly selfish dirt bags.Please get over that.As a Sindi focus your energy on something good.Bilawal and Zardari,s are all jokers.Saihi achotaey chooroeo.
18 Amir Ali // Jan 10, 2008 at 1:16 am
Well said Asar e Islam Syed MD. Good points.
19 kiran // Jan 29, 2008 at 9:09 pm
saeed sahabzada….sorry to say but watever u said abt Z.A. Bhutto abt him rotting in hell…ASTAGHFIrullaH and may ALLAh show u the rite path…for ppl who wish and prya ill for dead ppl wud definitely not be caring abt alive ppl….!!!
My point of view….the article just shows how human she was…doing the things every woman duz….and being a good wife and mother and frend….i respect Benazir Bhutto for her efforts, whether genuine or not, but wateever she said was fr the ppl….Bhuttos are a respected family, and blv me, no one shud say that THE BEST BHUTTOS ARE THE DEAD BHUTTOS….GOD FORGIVE U AND SHOW U THE RITE PATH!!!
20 Nadeem Raees // Jan 31, 2008 at 10:56 am
in the islamic culture .no one is allowed to say some thing bad about a dead person ,so plz don;t write any tjhing wrong.
21 BABA JEE // Feb 3, 2008 at 5:48 am
hum ghareb hko khatam karaing gay ….what a slogan she had for the poor of this country …roti kapra aur makan…..my foot
22 ASAD // Feb 16, 2008 at 1:12 am
I AGREE WITH EVERYONE’S COMMENTS EXCEPT KIRAN AND AIJAZ ALI KHARO.EVERBODY IS RIGHT THAT BB WAS A LOOTER.
PAKISTAN ZINDABAD
QUAID-E-AZAM ZINDABAD
23 idiot // Feb 18, 2008 at 1:33 am
friends whatever your comments maybe true or false, i really regret the political scenario of your country and hope the mighty allah give you another quaid-i-azam
24 makhfee // Feb 19, 2008 at 10:39 am
If pkistani people chose Asif Ali Zardari as a leader, then without any doubt I can say tha country hasn’e any sense. Cause I never saw in my life such a thief and shameful family. They are living on the innocent pakistani blood and are enjoying their lives. And the innocent and poor pakistani people are streggeling with poverty. They Have stolen all Pkistan’s wealth and built places for their ownselves in the very famous places like UK, Dubai and so on. Shame on that undignified family and mouth for all of this shameful and thiev family.
25 hira // Feb 20, 2008 at 3:26 am
hey to all n im trying to watch bb’s exclusive interview with daphne barak n im not able to find out dat n if ny1 knows plz do tel me n bye da way if bb was a crupt women so now its no point saying dat bcoz now she is no so its better not discuss her nymore han u ve a right to say dat zardari is not a rite choice 4r da pm but one thing more he will not gonna take dat position thoug he can’t stay in da country 4r many days n dat every1 knows why.
26 BABA JEE // Feb 20, 2008 at 10:49 am
i really wish and hope that Bilawal Zardari would read this page and say something like ….guys dont worry , i am not going to come to Pakistan for power …i know that my family has done bad things there …i will just finish my studies and marry some ghori here and live my life outside Pakistan ……please, forgive my mom ,
that would do him some good
27 hira // Feb 21, 2008 at 2:48 am
hi
28 RAJ JUNEJO // Mar 25, 2008 at 3:34 am
For those who blame Zardari sb.
I would ask them first prove rest of 341 as clean and clear people memebers of assembly.
Zardari didnt do something extra than any other politician does.
But now he is mature and this is what world has seen him after elections.
And MOHTARMA was the only leader the influential one of Pakistan now we are in the crowd of ordinary people.
BILAWAL will be the representative of the new generation.
Those who blame MOHTARMA and HER GREAT BRAVE FAMILY must think that if they can write their history with blood for the emancipation and strength of the country then they can speak something as a part of equal.
They are the people who chose gallows over exile like few others did.
They are the people who were historically NAWABS of JUNNAGARH, they had gold cuttlery and SILVER made furnitures but keeping all these on the stake of character assasination propaganda worked for country.
Z.A.BHUTTO to MOHTARMA B.B all were brave and democratic leaders not like cheap so called MARD-E-MOMIN dictators.
JIYE BHUTTO
29 naseer ahmed // Apr 1, 2008 at 8:17 am
excelent news as well as the photos
30 Anam Tanveer // May 8, 2008 at 12:44 am
Do you think we deserve leaders? No! - We lost Jinnah, we lost Bhutto, again, we lost his daughter. I am not pro bhutto over here but yes she was a great leader, i dont believe she was corrupt, it was her husband who was playing games on the back on her, and Zardari was the one who rather ate the accounts of Pakistan. Do u think any leader will come to Pakistan and again wil get rid of us from the social evil prevalling in Pakistan? - Hell no! - Unless and untill we get rid of ethinic biasness amaong panjibs, sindhis, balochis and mujahirs. No God call help us untill we help our ownself. We dont deserve any leader, once they come accross to improve our lifes we tend to think that they are corrupt. I feel like laughing on current Pakistani situation we are in the middle of reaver with no boat, both ways are dead end. Ha! but why we would care? We tend to practice Islam when it comes to 4 merriages, we tend to practice Islam when it comes to Parda, we tend to practice islam when its karo kari (which is no wherw writtn in Qurran, its bullshit) we tend to practive islam when its producing many children by hook or cook. Isnt it all bullsit? What about the last message of Muhammed ? Sorry i am being fundamantalist over here, but let me clear fandamantalist is one who practice the basic rules of something. what about the last message of PBUH Mohammed SAW? do i have to repeat myself again ? “It was there would be no biasness b/w black and white, white and black, only those will through who tends lead the right path” - No leader will come and get rid of us from these evils. Allah bless Pakistan!
Dont wait for the leaders, do it alone, individul, person to person - Mother Theresa
31 Anam Tanveer // May 8, 2008 at 12:48 am
And yes, either its Bilawal or BB, they dosnt need to cheat because they are initally landlords, and may BB rest in heaven - she didnt need to come over to pakistan, she came here to get rid of us from so called enlighten moderan theory and its so called implication and never ending imforcement of law and orders of US forces, isnt it clear? or we tend to neglect the fact consciouly? then pitty on us, thsoe who tend to neglect this consiously or unconscioulsy or those who dosnt stop the cruelness of socity going to be enjoy in hell. Wait and watch.
Jiye Bhutto
32 Anam Tanveer // May 8, 2008 at 12:52 am
RAJ JUNEJO, see this is the difference in here, I aint belongs to any sindhi family neither i am sindhi. Rather i hate to show my ethinicity because i believe in being “pakistani and muslim” would make us unite not panjabi, sindhi, balouchi, mohajir etc. U seems like belongs to that ethinity, so i can see ur favourism (not offending you but its being observed by large), this is the thing i want to eliminate from rest of us. I feel myself fool who hadnt had the germs of it from the very beggining. Not offending you but consider my voridcs.
33 Anam Tanveer // May 8, 2008 at 1:12 am
@Saeed Sahabzada if u want to see the typical and bayhodda modern theory then meet Bush and his muppet mushraf. Moderation theory is nothign but to lead our path astray, hope i am clear. And, Quaiz bccame muslim just for the sake of muslim, he didnt need to get involved in this shitty politics but he did, he was worried for the paki nation, and you should guilty of what u have just said above. He lost his life for our so caled nation and still i hear comments like ” pakistan shouldnt get freedom from Britishers” do we all know what we talkin about by saying shit like this? Ask Afganis and Iraqis that what we called freedom of speach and living? - bhutto dosnt need to theft she was born rich, her four rathers were landlords, she had enough money to servive even though she get 100000’s life. We are so Goddamn ethicical bias that we tend to favour our own ethicial leaders, even its bush muppet like Mushraf.
34 Anam Tanveer // May 8, 2008 at 1:20 am
Dr Siddique? You sure you are doctor? You goin to serve your entire life in favor of humn being. Is this what your education tells you? to diffrienciate people from where they belongs and how they looks like? its a shit within you, not in sindhis, remeber i am not a pro shindis here, but i believe in humanity and unity of all as whole. Would u stop examining someone knowing that the person is non-muslim or sindhi? For God sake, who gave u this shity degree who teaches to make difference among difference ethinic groups? If i am not wrong u dr have been promised to serving humanity before assigning you the shitty degree of MBBS or whatever, huh.
35 najmi // May 8, 2008 at 4:39 am
bb in heaven ????????????
r u sure ?
36 najmi // May 8, 2008 at 4:45 am
money can not buy place there my friend.they know all account from pakistan to switzerland to england. her father was a great leader of pakistan but bb plz dont talk about it
37 Anam Tanveer // May 12, 2008 at 1:35 am
if it was so, then she didnt need to come over and safe Pakistan’s so called unity and freedom, a fool can understand this, and i am sure u aint a fool, but even worse then that. Why the hell she came over here to got shooted? No, she came because she did it what she has always been saying that she cared. what else u shity peoples wants after taking someone life and still u tend to think that she was a looter? Looter dosnt think for humanity and the nattion, if she would be a looter then she’d be enjoying her rest of the life in Dubai and whereever she wanted. You people really need to get admit in KG1.
May Allah Safe Pakistan from the social evils!
38 Anam Tanveer // May 12, 2008 at 1:39 am
Get the hell out of the ethnical biasnes and corruption with in yourself and then talk about unity of Pakistan. And yes, Ashghar is right “How many successful women do you know with three kids and a pretty normal family with a normal relationship with her husband etc.. Stop being a unreasonable and blind in her hate. Everything aside, she was a successful woman, and could be a role model for A LOT of people. Give me example of a harvard-n-oxford graduate, two times prime minister (once as a the youngest “muslim” woman PM) with three kids and a normal husband (ignoring the jail time). “
39 RAJ JUNEJO // May 12, 2008 at 1:20 pm
@ANAM TANVEER
I am Pakistani Sindhi,…
And I dont support blindly for anyone,…
I am realistic… what seems in real we are supposed to beleive it….
Mr. Zardari’s behaviour after elections was reflecting a good image….
But unfortunately he did not abide by the commitment of restoration of Judges.
And I appreciate your patriotism but patriotism and unity emerges with equality.
Alhumdulillah, I can claim that Sindhiz of Pakistan are hundred percent loyal and have contributed alot to Pakistan from leaders like Jinnah, Liaqat, Z.A.Bhutto and now her daughter to resources but you must accept the fact of continuous denial and negligence of federation with two provinces Sindh and Balochistan who provide 75% of revenue jointly to Pakistan have got nothing. But people are still lying with Pakistan because they know these are political games and this country is their own land. But no doubt pourty, depression, health, employment and millions of other problems frustration have left people with hatred.
Many people claim feuds and waderas and sardars responsible for that but I am an educated and well off sindhi and know that who is who. In this 21st century no wadera can impose his will over people.
Recently a Baloch Sardar was released who was arrested in case of Mobile theft and speaking harsh to two forces officials. Rediculous isnt it! A sardar doing mobile theft…..then what you expect from their tribe men and lovers….
We are Pakistani, and I am not nationailist,…I am federationist,…Pakistan is based on contract of ideology of Islam and we all Sindhi, Pukhtoons, Balochi, Punjabi, Seraiki different nations have complete Nation structure with language, culture, heritage, literature, religion and history, we should not disguise 5000years old rich history for 60years, we add our rich past to give identity to Pakistan, we all joined the federation of Islamic Republic of Pakistan on unity and common factor of Islam because it reflects equality and social justice which is not at all available, everyone is deprived yet, this deprivation gave us huge loss in 1971.
Blame Zardari for anything but keep onething in mind that when Mohtarma was martyred we sindhis were crying with blood and people in anger were raising anti-federation slogans but Zardari stopped them otherwise people had collected rashan and were ready for something bad but he saved the country that day.
If he wont had done so then yet we all would either be going through the same turmoil of 1971.Atleast accept this fact.
I am not even pro-Zardari but MOHTARMA was a true leader and this time she would have done alot but we Pakistaniz and city of Rawalpindi is badnasib in terms of leaders.
Long live Pakistan for Pakistanis!
40 najmi // May 12, 2008 at 3:17 pm
well said raj
we should think about real situation in pakistan.
i think we must accept that now zardari is the real national leader who can think above regional politics .we must work togather to show the world real pakistan. just unity , we need now
long live pakistan
41 Naeem // May 28, 2008 at 12:57 pm
@ Asghar
I think what you said about our people and their complacency is the most truthful relfection of our actual standing.We have lost sense of self actualisation and have become slaves to our own lousiness.For God`s sake people stop playing blame games….we all have become such hypocrates and fail to realise it all the time.I would love to quote what you brilliantly expressed.
”Pakistan is poor because people are complacent. No one likes to work. No one takes ownership of their work. People try to find short-cuts. People like you look down up hardworking ‘taxi drivers’ (btw you should be ashamed of your comment on taxi driver in particular). You despise hard-work. Basically it’s people like you who are keeping Pakistan down not the corrupt politicians. Japan has corrupt politicians as well, US does too, UK, China, Thailand, Malaysia… everyone does. But they do well, because people do well. Alas, most of our people are all talk only.
Oh and yeah you also claim to be a practicing Muslim apparently and look down up “shia/khooja type and deviant sect”. At best you are laughable-illiterate-metric-failed-pseudo-illectual-from-a-barber’s-shop”.
well said bro!
42 Zulfiqar // Jun 11, 2008 at 9:24 am
Benzir All the Great & Greasted
43 Lubna // Jun 14, 2008 at 4:27 pm
People, She is dead. This article and photos were good to look at. Whereas politicians being looters is concerned, its our fault and our elders fault.
When no good person will take interest in having the responsibility of their own, these characters will not be there.
All of the people writing here, are Pakistani’s with good hearts and no-action. This is same as supporting these kind of leaders as well as corrupt system in the country.
Democracy is the only way, but if best people are contesting. Lets try to do something good, get some good people to fight elections next time.
Do some good, rather than just repeat what’s been told to us by media.
And on the note of someone saying that unless people are educated there is no need for their choice. Well educated people with such thought process need to have their mental credentials re-evaluated. People have to be represented, thats the only way out. Current problem is that corrupts are represented, and good majority is silent. Whether you have a degree or not does not matter a bit, what matters is that you are honest and serious to bring best to your people.
Thank you, If I have hurt anyone’s intellectual geniuses forgive me for that.
44 rifat latif // Jun 29, 2008 at 12:57 am
beautifulll cccxcxcxcxcxcxccxcxcfgghay bbhy mmka b
45 Unknown // Aug 25, 2008 at 3:22 pm
@ Raj Junejo
“Blame Zardari for anything but keep onething in mind that when Mohtarma was martyred we sindhis were crying with blood and people in anger were raising anti-federation slogans but Zardari stopped them otherwise people had collected rashan and were ready for something bad but he saved the country that day.
If he wont had done so then yet we all would either be going through the same turmoil of 1971.Atleast accept this fact. ”
Well forget abt B.B, we all know that how much zardari is fulfilling people’s expecttions and promisses, judeges, inflation, democracy are one of them. And we voted ppp for the sake of B.B not for those retards like zardari who dosnt even know how to run politics? We voted B.B for her effective decision making, and organized qualitties not for ppl like zardari who knocked out even his own loyal party members and came up with his own party called “zardari party” and i would be fool to announch who killed B.B since i mentioned his name in this very discussion of mine. I am so disappointed, forget abt me, nation is disappointed for what zardari is doing, we didnt vote him we vote in love of his wife (B.B)
46 khan // Sep 6, 2008 at 3:53 am
donot waste ur time none of us is true muslim i we were then there was no benazir mushi zardari sharif chaudhry altaf all these people r appointed give us lesson for our deeds look kashmir no one goes there for jihad becoz they donot fight themselve and look at the pathans they fighting them selves whether in afghanistan or pakistan so people come there from sodan chechnia arab and eveywhere i donot know why donot we think about being muslim i doubt and sorry to say r we muslims if we r then what about afia what about fatima from gauntenamo haaaaa we wasting time for nothing these people do only for themselves or for their own family but their interests r linked to world bank and IMF apart from their personnal life may be they r gud with their own people but none of them is justifying with the common man
47 Ali // Sep 7, 2008 at 2:06 am
reading all these comments makes me feel sick of… is there any hope for this country?
the artical is intresting with new insights about late Bibi’s life.
48 Ahmed // Sep 7, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Pakistan as a nation, just has history of 60+ years. Minus the number of years when it has gone through really tough times; major tumoils, wars, kashmir issue, internal roits, flood, earth quakes, partitions, foriegn invasions in afghan, american propogandas, dictations by dumb generals, economical slow downs, electric, sugar, flour, polotical crisises, leaders assasinations etc. Now look at the total peaceful time where people have really been able to make progress. Hardly a few years.
Also set a starting point when country was born. What resources it had, What set of people and culture it in herited, massive influx of migrants. The nation had no resources, no education, no govt. no infrastructure, no leadership, no history, infact on identity of their own at all.
But now when we come to compare it with other nations we expect it to be the best of best. We compare it with US or UK etc.Those who have fought to conquere world.
Has any one of us really considered pakistan to be a real sucessful state as yet. No, we always like to see what we like only. Its all because we dont deserve to be citizens of pakistan. Every one of us has contributed to it by adding a few words of despare, hatred and confusion without really looking at what we really have achieved so far rather than looking at what could have been achieved ideally.
I think we have what we deserve and will achieve in future what is our destiny. Infact, We can achieve more by changing ourselves and doubling the pace of progress. For that we will have to change our mindsets. We will have to show strong characters. We will have to fight for our success. Have to work hard for it. Not just you and me but whole nation.
I think what really has been done in the past is no doubt is part of the process through which our country had to go through to set the history. Mistakes, repeated mistakes and slowdowns on the part of leaders, dictators, people at large.
There are only few honest people out there who really want to work hard for the country. Benazir, Zulfiqar, Jinnah were amongst few of them on the top who even gave their life. The rest of us just like to gossip and blame each other out of disgust, hatred and bias.
I despair sometimes but then i ask myself a question. For all the mess, and tyrany goin on in the country, who is gona clean it up all and how. This isnt a simple task that any one man can do. All of us have to play a role in it.
Just try to change the mind of a person who has deep hatred against other person on the basis of religion, province, language. I bet you cant do it. Things in pakistan will take generations to change.
I have seen teachers, parents, politicians, scholars and let alone enemies of the country, inject hatred into the minds of people by simply saying a few words against their opposites.
They begin from their own siblings/ children at home, school, neighbourhood, streets, colleges, cities, villages etc. The poor children, our future generation of pakistan, grows up with this hatred pumped into them already and then when any thing goes wrong at any point in time in their lives they keep on connecting things to that hatred and blame their victums for that.
Without really analysing and comparing things out. Poor biased nation. Keeps fighting with each other in order to strenthen their own clan. They even dont care about anything. When asked about Pakistan, they blame each other again. Natural for nation like pakistanis.
Lets set out a standard for progress of pakistan and work towards it with a resolve. You just stop injecting hatred in your own kids. Stop telling your son or daughter that sindhis, panjabis, mahajirs, pathans, bloaches are insane and they are your enemies. they are dumb and you are better than them. Sounds difficult ???
Be honest in your life. No corruption. No anti islamic social deeds. Detest robers and fight them. Even more difficult….????
Work hard and make yourself productive highly qualified no matter what age group you are in. Work atleast 16 hours a day. Be in control of yourself. support those who need your moral or even financial suppport. Impossible???
Well, one thing is for sure; we can only pgrogress as a nation when we improve ourselves first. Make ourselves better humans and then work for improvement of the country and nation at large.
I think, the change can happen overnight, no need for a generation if we change take three things at first stage. Education, Police, Justice.
We need highest standard of education in our country comparable to that of US. Imagine how much budget will u need to do that. 10 times more than what is now in pakistan. Amount of effort on part of students and teachers to compete US students.
We need better law & order system. How can you expect from a police man earning only 2500 a month to protect you or be honest in his dealings. Just raise their salaries and curb corruption.
Justice system must be speedy and available to every person. Is it realy possible without free judiciary in pakistan. Judges and lawers must be made independent(budget, powers, sturcture).
There may be other suggestions to it but improving on these basic three things will result very positively.
I hope poeple have some glimmer of hope left. No doubt they have corrupt leaders now but they can work for their future now onwards by playing their part.
49 khan // Sep 7, 2008 at 5:37 pm
what part u can play one of my friend elder brother who came from oxford university claiming a gold medal when he was working in KRL he tried to do something for the naktiong and paksitna but those old basterd stopped him from doing any thing new and his own so he left the job and went to america where he is working th same field and redarded by the government even he is pakistani so no need to put urself here if u want to put urself for anything in pakistan is only one thing that is “inqalab” kis ksi ko theek karo gay agay yaha reh kar koi acha kam karo gay to mare jao gay koi faida nahi
50 noor ahmed // Sep 7, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Now I believe Surrey Mansion belongs to Bhutto family. Is this family was running multi million bussiness in Pakistan, so you can afford houses in Surrey and Dubai? Zardari: how many times you will lie again.
51 khan // Sep 10, 2008 at 2:01 am
i think the agent for america after musharaf and he is proofing now by keeping quite on the attacks on bajawar and north they r just putting in mind off people that they r bad but keep in mind when the fire is burning away from ur house try to kill the fire before it catches ur house of u just see the fire and think its away then no one will come to save u when ur house is burning
52 FATIMAWARIS // Sep 16, 2008 at 10:21 pm
BENAZIRBHUTTO ALWAYS HAVE INSLAMIC STYLE SHE LOOKS VERY BEAUTIFULL AND LOVE TOO WE ALWAYS LOVE HER TO MUCH SHE ALWAYS ALIVE IN OUR HEARTS SHE HAVE A PELLUCID LIFE STYLE
53 MOLVI_WHISKY // Sep 29, 2008 at 12:32 am
Of all the comments, I found Ahmed’s to be the best. Here is what I have to add.
* Corruption kills initiative, progress, justice - but you can’t get rid of it by initiating it. People need to learn to avoid short cuts and be subservient to law. Mollahs to propagate this with Jihadi zeal;
* An ignorant voter would vote for an ignorant rep. Volunteer for educating masses, especially in the countryside. People need to be taught their rights and obligations;
* Set aside prejudices and differences and give a new leader a chance. Give him benefit of doubt;
* Laze is malignant. Working on and off to earn pocket money must stop. Over-inflated ego of over-educated ones, who’d rather starve then accept a lower role, must stop;
* Learn to accept, noone is obliged to toe your line. Not everything must be as per your desires. Everyone has a right to his/her opinion.
* Learn to accept that you are not the most superior;
* Learn to accept there may be other ways of accomplishing a goal, apart from whatever you may have on your mind;
* Learn to place substance above rhetoric;
* Learn not to be judgemental;
* Learn to dump your leaders who’d betrayed you. Blind loyalty to none;
* Vote for completely new faces, unrelated to old hands;
* Complain with your reps, instead of buying your way out;
* Join rights groups which are not associated with political parties;
* Never vote based on your ethnic, sectarian, tribal, etc… affiliation** A MOST DESTRUCTIVE & TREACHOROUS ACT
* Inter-ethnic and inter-sectarian marriage leads to cohesion and mutual understanding;
* Get yourself involved. First with municipal affairs - hygiene, environment, etc…Demand redress, your rights. Make your reps work for you.
54 ShirullZaman Khan // Sep 29, 2008 at 6:18 am
well .well . molvi shahib, that is alot of learning to be done ….okay .
wish everybody good luck …say by 2075.
55 bonga // Oct 2, 2008 at 1:05 am
lol all these pics r lesbian
56 sarah // Oct 5, 2008 at 10:59 pm
to saeed sahibizada!! dont know how to reply to your comments but for sure i agree with Azghar that people like you in Pakistan are the reason where we are now. Loosers like you stay away from Pakistan and are proud of it….a total scum bag who just wants to change thier identity by living abroad. And look negatively to the successful people.
And by the way ZIA the person behind taliban’s and extremism….sighhh..do not want to dirty my tongue, but i just hope he flies in the same airplane 1000 times more and even worse, (but alone, not with other innocent people), and has the same fate!!
and by the way..u scum BB did not expose herself, she is just being a normal Pakistani. I wonder how your women sit at home in blankets?
57 Ahmed // Oct 6, 2008 at 8:40 am
I am proud that i am citizen of Pakistan and there are still a lot of people who think positively about Pakistan. Pakistan doesnt need scum bags in order to exist. Only a few people with a clear mind are more than enough to hold it up in all the difficult times…. May God guide us to the right path and give us the strength and the clear understanding and tolerence we need.
58 RED // Oct 7, 2008 at 8:45 pm
By the way, don’t blame your own poverty on these people. They have been rich. Shareef’s became rich BEFORE they came to politics; out of hardwork in business and not by looting > Behind every fortune, there’s a crime! Why anyone would want, trust etc. a Bhutto is beyond me ;) Get away from your feudal system, elect a proper leader or stick to the one and only true leader, Allah (s.a.w)
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