Benazir Bhutto - SZABIST

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.
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. 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."