GKE Task 2
Laura Hofmann
WGU

Benazir Bhutto (6/21/53-12/27/07), became the first woman Prime Minister of Pakistan and the first woman to lead an Islamic Nation in 1988, after launching a campaign as candidate for the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), an organization established to resist military dictatorship. Benazir, first born daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was educated at Radcliffe, where she received her BA in 1973, then went on to Oxford where she studied Political Science and Economics, receiving another BA in 1977. She was raised with her 2 brothers and 2 sisters by parents who taught their children they had an “obligation to repay society for all that had been provided”, and were encouraged to have careers that benefitted people. (Bhutto, 2008, p. 39) Benazir dedicated her life to fighting for democracy for Pakistan. Her father was elected as Prime Minister in 1977, but was overthrown and jailed within days of taking power. Benazir was placed under house arrest with her mother and brothers. After her father’s execution in 1979, she took over the PPP and continued her father’s work of fighting for democracy in Pakistan. After being arrested multiple times and detained for over 3 years, enduring brutal treatment in jail, solitary confinement and illness she was exiled in 1984, and moved to London with 2 brothers. (Abhinav, 2013)
Bhutto returned to Pakistan in 1986, and immediately began calling for the resignation of the Government responsible for her father’s death. After free elections in 1988, Benazir became Prime Minister and continued working for democracy for the people of Pakistan. Her belief was “true democracy is defined not only by elections, but by the democratic governance that should follow” (Bhutto, 2008, p. 88) She fought for democracy and change of the military dictatorship which had killed her father, equality for women as taught by her