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December 28, 2025

‘18th Anniversary of Assassination’: Nation remembers Shaheed Benazir as trailblazer of democracy, women’s empowerment

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‘18th Anniversary of Assassination’: Nation remembers Shaheed Benazir as trailblazer of democracy, women’s empowerment
  • Leaders across political spectrum, including PM Shehbaz, President Zardari, remember her as a symbol of courage, resilience and commitment to inclusive governance
  • Premier describes her contributions as monumental, recalling how late leader advocated women’s rights, minority protections
  • First female PM of a Muslim-majority nation, elected at age 35, left an indelible mark on national political history
  • Shaheed Benazir survived exile and assassination attempts, before giving her life for democracy in 2007
ISLAMABAD: The nation on Saturday paid homage to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the country’s first female prime minister and a trailblazer for democracy in the Muslim world, on the 18th anniversary of her assassination in a gun-and-bomb attack following a public rally in Rawalpindi. Leaders across the political spectrum, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari, remembered her as a symbol of courage, resilience, and commitment to inclusive governance. Born on June 21, 1953, Bhutto first became prime minister in 1988 at the age of 35, making history as the youngest and first woman to hold the office in a Muslim-majority nation. She served a second term from 1993 to 1996, surviving politically motivated allegations of corruption and mismanagement that she consistently denied. Bhutto’s political career was shaped by personal tragedy and national turmoil, entering politics after her father, former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was executed in 1979 during General Zia-ul-Haq’s military regime. Despite long-standing political differences with the Sharif family, she signed the 2006 Charter of Democracy with three-time former PM Nawaz Sharif, pledging to uphold democratic institutions and prevent military interventions—a commitment that underscored her vision for Pakistan’s political stability. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described her contributions as monumental: “Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto took exemplary steps to strengthen the role of women, protect the rights of minorities, and make Pakistan a peaceful, progressive, and democratic state. Her sacrifices and services are a beacon of light for the nation.” President Asif Ali Zardari highlighted Bhutto’s vision for an inclusive Pakistan: “She rejected sectarianism, bigotry, and intolerance, and consistently spoke for the protection of minorities. Her life offers a clear lesson to the youth: speak up for justice, organize peacefully, and do not surrender hope in the face of adversity.” The Bhutto family, like other powerful political dynasties in South Asia—including India’s Gandhis and Sri Lanka’s Bandaranaikes—has endured extraordinary personal losses. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the founder of the family’s political legacy, was toppled by the military in 1977 and later executed, while both his sons died under mysterious circumstances. Benazir herself survived a suicide attack in October 2007 that killed nearly 150 people upon her return from an eight-year exile, before falling victim to a second deadly attack in December 2007. Today, her son Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari leads the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), while her daughter Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari serves as the country’s First Lady. Aseefa remembered her mother’s enduring legacy on social media: “She lived with courage and led with compassion. Her strength lives on in every voice that refuses injustice.” Pakistan’s history has been punctuated by military interventions, with nearly half of its post-independence period under direct military rule. Both former premiers Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif have claimed to have been removed due to disagreements with the military, although the army maintains that it does not interfere in politics. Benazir Bhutto’s life and sacrifice remain a symbol of democratic resilience, women’s empowerment, and the enduring struggle for justice and political inclusivity in Pakistan.
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