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Zulfiqar
Ali Bhutto
Zulfiqar
Ali Bhutto was born on January 5, 1928. He was the only son of Sir
Shah Nawaz Bhutto. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto completed his early education
from Bombay's
Cathedral High School. In 1947, he joined the University of Southern
California, and later the University of California at Berkeley in June
1949. After completing his degree with honors in Political Science at
Berkeley in June 1950, he was admitted to Oxford.
Zulfiqar Ali
Bhutto married Nusrat Isphahani on September 8, 1951. He was called to Bar
at Lincoln's Inn in 1953, and the same year his first child, Benazir
Bhutto, was born on June 21. On his return to Pakistan, Bhutto started
practicing Law at Dingomal's.
In 1958, he
joined President Iskander Mirza's Cabinet as Commerce Minister. He was the
youngest Minister in Ayub Khans Cabinet. In 1963, he took over the post of
Foreign Minister from Muhammad Ali Bogra.
His first major
achievement was to conclude the Sino-Pakistan boundary agreement on March
2, 1963. In mid 1964, Bhutto helped convince Ayub of the wisdom of
establishing closer economic and diplomatic links with Turkey and Iran.
The trio later on formed the R. C. D. In June 1966, Bhutto left Ayub's
Cabinet over differences concerning the Tashkent Agreement.
Zulfiqar Ali
Bhutto launched Pakistan Peoples Party after leaving Ayub's Cabinet. In
the general elections held in December 1970, P. P. P. won a large majority
in West Pakistan but failed to reach an agreement with Sheikh
Mujib-ur-Rahman, the majority winner from East Pakistan. Following the
1971 War and the separation of East Pakistan, Yahya Khan resigned and
Bhutto took over as President and Chief Martial Law Administrator on
December 20, 1971.
In early 1972,
Bhutto nationalized ten categories of major industries, and withdrew
Pakistan from the Commonwealth of Nations and S. E. A. T. O. when Britain
and other western countries recognized the new state of Bangladesh. On
March 1, he introduced land reforms, and on July 2, 1972, signed the Simla
Agreement with India, which paved the way for the return of occupied lands
and the release of Pakistani prisoners captured in East Pakistan in the
1971 war.
After the
National Assembly passed the 1973 Constitution, Bhutto was sworn-in as the
Prime Minister of the country.
On December 30,
1973, Bhutto laid the foundation of Pakistan's first steel mill at Pipri,
near Karachi. On January 1, 1974, Bhutto nationalized all banks. On
February 22, 1974, the second Islamic Summit was inaugurated in
Lahore.
Heads of States of most of the 38 Islamic countries attended the Summit.
Following a
political crisis in the country, Bhutto was imprisoned by General
Zia-ul-Haq, who imposed Martial Law on July 5, 1977.
On April 4, 1979,
the former Prime Minister was hanged, after the Supreme Court upheld the
death sentence passed by the Lahore High Court. The High Court had given
him the death sentence on charges of murder of the father of a dissident
P. P. P. politician.
Zulfiqar Ali
Bhutto was buried in his ancestral village at Garhi Khuda Baksh, next to
his father's grave.
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