Bhutto: socialist, autocrat

Press, 6 July 1977, Page 8

Bhutto: socialist, autocrat

NZPA-Reuter Rawalpindi Mr Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a tough and determined politician, dragged Pakistan back on to its feet after the disastrous 1971 war with India which ended with break-away [East Pakistan being proclaimed the independent State of Bangladesh. When he took over as President in December, 1971, Pakistan was in the depths of despair and facing an uncer[tain future. I With zeal and total confi'dence Mr Bhutto, who is 49. I set about charting a new [destiny for the remaining [West Pakistan and its 65 [million largely illiterate peasiant population. [ A highly cultured and [articulate politician from an aristocratic family, but with strong socialist beliefs, Mr Bhutto stepped down as President in August, 1973, and was sworn in as Pakistan’s first Prime Minister for 15 years. He brought civilian rule after 13 years of military dictatorship and created a permanent framework for democracy. A Western-educated lawyer, with degrees from Oxford and the University of California at Berkeley, he gave Pakistan a new Constitution, Islamic in character to suit an overwhelmingly Moslem State, and introduced a parliamentary system of government. Yet from the outset Mr Bhutto was an autocrat, he trod on many toes as he fought to control divisive internal forces which threatened to tear Pakistan apart. When he took over from President Yahya Khan on December 20, 1971, after the Bangladesh defeat he gave Pakistan’s foreign policy a new direction, steering it away from confrontation with India and towards the increasingly rich and politically powerful Moslem bloc. He lent heavily on the I Shah of Iran for support in pulling Pakistan together. [lran, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and [Kuwait all gave considerable [aid to tide Pakistan over its ibalance-of-payments problems when rampant inflation and the international recession dealt a body blow to the economy in 1974-75. While rejuvenating the economy has been the major task, Mr Bhutto has often been preoccupied with political agitation and intrigues. In February, 1975, he banned the biggest Opposition party, Abdul Wali Khan’s National Awami Party, accusing it of subversion and seeking the secession of the North-West Frontier and Baluchistan provinces. Mr Bhutto comes from a wealthy, aristocratic landowning family and yet he preaches a simple form of socialism, which he calls “Islamic socialism.” He ardently’ advocates the distribution of land to the peasants who work on it.

He is married, with two sons and two daughters. He was bom on January 5, 1928, the son of Sir Shahnawaz Khan Bhutto, at Larkana. in the Sind Province of British India.