Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Recollections and remembrances

In 1977 the people’s government was overthrown. I went to 70. Clifton. People inthose days were under the impression that Zia will hold elections in the country.Mr. Bhutto was seated on a large dining table at the ground floor. Duringdiscussions a gentleman who was perhaps the owner of a garage and whosename was perhaps Rizvi told Mr. Bhutto that he had some knowledge ofastrology and Ilm Jafar. His calculations showed that there was a serious threat toMr. Bhutto’s life. He requested that Mr. Bhutto should leave the country beforeOctober that year.Mr. Bhutto firmly replied. “I have full faith in my God. Whatever He wills shallhappen. What you have proposed has also been proposed by some other friends,who do not have the advantage of astrological calculations. But I can’t run awayleaving the people of Pakistan at the mercy of the Martial Law.”After the astrologer well wisher was gone, he turned towards me, What is yourfeeling? Will Zia hold elections?”“Never Sir, He knows PPP will win hands down,” I replied.“I agree there are no chances of an election. What are your plans?” He asked.“We were with you yesterday. We are with you today. We shall remain with youtomorrow as well”. I replied.A year passed. I was in Lahore to attend a family marriage. At about quarter tonine I was walking towards the house of my sister, when I saw a Toyota jeepapproaching. I saw Mr. Bhutto sitting on the front scat. He was dressed in a suitand was wearing sunglasses. They were taking him from the jail to the HighCourt. We had to meet for a last time, since right at that moment the Jeep got aflat tyre and had to stop. He got down. I went up to him and saluted.“Arai ! What are y ou doing here in Lahore, Saeed?” He asked.I as in town to attend my cousin’s wedding”. I informed him.The traffic had come to a sudden stop. People started collecting on the spot.Within minutes there were hundreds of them. “Jive Bhutto” slogans went up.They started pushing towards him and trying to break the police cordon.Everybody wanted to be close to his leader. The police started pushing the peopleback and beating them.“What are you doing? Don’t yon see these are people? They are Pakistan, hereprimanded the police.Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Recollections and Remembrances; Copyright © www.bhutto.org 157