Begum Nusrat Bhutto is dead in Dubai - Former First Lady of Pakistan, Begum Nusrat Bhutto was 82 years old at the time of her death - LIFE history of NUSRAT BHUTTO

Begum Nusrat Bhutto is dead

Former First Lady of Pakistan, Begum Nusrat Bhutto was 82 years old at the time of her death.

She outlived three of her children Murtaza, Benazir and Shahnawaz Bhutto.

Our sincere condolences on the demise of Nusrat Bhutto, wife of late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, mother of Benazir Bhutto, Murtaza, Sanam and Shahnawaz Bhutto. Except for Sanam, all members of this family are dead after decades of struggles, infamy, torture and fighting a hostile establishment. Our sympathies to the younger generation – Bilawal, his sisters, Fatima Bhutto and all others who have been traumatised by simply too many deaths.

LIFE of NUSRAT BHUTTO:

Just a few hours ago Begum Nusrat Bhutto breathed her last in Dubai after suffering from a protracted illness and the world lost a woman who was a symbol of valor, courage and fortitude. Nadeem F. Paracha aptly put in his tweet:  “Her’s was the longest and toughest struggle”.

The world saw her in the form of a young frail woman who selflessly worked as a member of Women’s National Guard to fight day and night in the refugee crisis of 1947. Her historic picture with a bleeding head injury signified defiance and struggle against a ruthless Martial Law, when she was clubbed by Zia’s hoodlums in the Qaddafi Stadium, ironically the same stadium that was named by his husband in 1974. She fought battles in the courts. She came out on the roads to lead people to their empowerment. But as Wajid Shamsul Hassan ruefully noted, “The head wound that did not overwhelm her not-withstanding constant persecution, character-assassination and life in exile, did finally lead to incurable consequences.” And She was left fighting for her life. 

Her life, though an image of struggle and determination, also represented tragedy. For she was the unfortunate wife of the dynamic Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who was politically murdered through a court decision that remains controversial to this very day. The most tragic of all, she was the mother of four children, three of who died unnatural deaths.

In the political history of this country, Pakistanis will remember her for fighting one of the longest and most arduous battles with the grace that was characteristic of her. RIP Begum Nusrat Bhutto.

Sources said that arrangements are being made to bring her body back to Karachi. It is expected that her body will be taken for burial to Garhi Khuda Bux, the ancestral graveyard of the Bhutto family.

Bhutto had been recovering from a stroke while simultaneously battling Alzheimer’s disease.

She had functioned as a political hostess and accompanied ZA Bhutto on overseas visits.

In 1979, after the trial and execution of her husband, she succeeded him as leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party as chairman for life. In 1982 she was given permission to leave the country by the military government of General Ziaul Haq for medical treatment in London at which point her daughter, Benazir Bhutto, became acting leader of the party and by 1984 Benazir became party chairman.