Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Recollections and remembrances

organizations like Mohajir-Punjabi-Pathan Mahaz as well as Noujawan JeaySindh Mohaz. Mr. Bhutto advised Sindhis not to fall into the trap of cheapslogans of G. M. Syed and Sindhis followed his advice and rejected G. M. Syed inthe 1970 elections but unfortunately, the Urdu speaking population preferred tosupport extremist leaders and religious leaders of their communities whichresulted in ethnic clashes in Hyderabad and Karachi following adoption of SindhiLanguage Bill by the Sindh Assembly. Mr. Bhutto always called this alliance ofMohajir Punjabi Pathan as an unnatural alliance and predicted that a time willcome when these three communities will be at daggers drawn, and this came truein 1986 and 1987. He was all the time worried about the role of the Urduspeakingpeople in politics. He used to say that hidden hands will never allowthem to join Peoples Party or the struggle of the other people of the province. Thissection will always be used, against the majority as a tool and lever against them.Sometimes they will be exploited in the name of Islam and sometimes on thebasis of ethnicity and this is very unfortunate not only for the province but for thepeople of Pakistan. Peoples Party had launched a struggle to break the monopolyof the few families who were having a hold on the economy and Peoples Partywanted to widen the economic base through the public sector, to do somethingfor the common man but this class with the help of the establishment andagencies will always try to use immigrants from India as a weapon against thePeoples Party and peoples struggle. I think his predictions have come true.MR. BHUTTO BELIEVED IN DESTINY.Haji Najmuddin Sarewal who contested against Mr. Bhutto in 1970 elections fromBadin decided to join PPP and requested Mr. Bhutto to accept a lunch initiation atHyderabad and this was accepted by Mr. Bhutto.During his official visit to Hyderabad Division according to his scheduledprogramme, Mr. Bhutto was supposed to attend lunch at Sarewal’s residenceimmediately after addressing a public meeting in Hyderabad. During his speechsome agencies reported to the Military Secretary that the food prepared for Mr.Bhutto was cooked by a Bengali and there were apprehensions that the cookmight have poisoned the food (due to tension after the fall of Dhaka). As always, Iused to taste the food for the Prime Minister during his visits to HyderabadDivision and the Military Secretary knowing this whispered in my ears thatcertificate of food should not be issued till some decision is made. Mr. MumtazAli Bhutto who had gone to Germany had just arrived at that tune. After somediscussion it was decided that instead of taking Mr. Bhutto directly to Mr.Sarewal’s house he should be brought to Circuit House to obtain his advice. TheMilitary Secretary instructed the pilot to bring the motorcade first to the CircuitHouse instead of going to Sarewal’s house. When Mr. Bhutto’s car stopped in theporch of the Circuit House he came out of the car and said: “Why have youZulfikar Ali Bhutto, Recollections and Remembrances; Copyright © www.bhutto.org 149