who was benazir bhutto?
- daughter of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who took control of ppp in the 1980s
- she was imprisoned by Zia, later exiled to the UK.
- she won the elections of 1988 and came into power, being the first muslim woman to head an Islamic country. she was a liberal
- her govt couldn’t bring much reform due to resistance from conservative and Islamist forces.
what was the outcome of the general elections of 1988? [4]
- PPP won with 94 seats
- PPP won in provincially in Sindh and KPK only
- Punjab was won by second second-best party, IJI, Islamic Jamhoori Ittehad of Nawaz. With 56 seats
- this was a setback for PPP
- fazl ur rehman formed the government in Balochistan.
- overall, PPP was in a position to form the government of Pakistan
HOW SUCCESSFUL WAS BENAZIR AS PM IN YEARS 1988 - 1990? [14][7]
Benazir’s failures and successes
SUCCESSES
- Political Leadership Achievements
Despite lacking a majority and facing opposition, Benazir showed political intelligence by forming **an alliance with MQM(**muhajir qaumi movement). This enabled her to form a government at the Centre, making history as the first woman to head a Muslim nation. altho MQM was an opponent benazir still successfully made a coalition. This was particularly significant given PPP's suppression during Zia's military rule, showcasing her ability to unite and reorganize her party effectively.
- Restoration of Democratic Freedoms
Upon assuming power, Benazir took decisive steps to restore democratic freedoms by lifting bans on trade and student unions, releasing political prisoners detained during Zia's regime, removing restrictions on NGOs, and easing media censorship. These actions significantly improved civil liberties and freedom of speech in Pakistan
- Sindh Reforms and Cultural Promotion
Bhutto implemented significant reforms in Sindh, PPP's traditional stronghold, by making Sindhi language education compulsory in schools and reserving administrative positions for Sindhis. These measures helped preserve Sindhi culture and created employment opportunities, strengthening her support base in the region.
- Successful Foreign Policy Initiatives
Her foreign policy achievements were particularly notable, including securing international aid through diplomatic visits, improving Pakistan's global image, rejoining the Commonwealth, enhancing relations with Islamic nations, improving ties with India through SAARC, and strengthening U.S. relations through successful diplomatic visits that helped secure military equipment transfers.
FAILUERS