Born June 21, 1953, in Karachi, Pakistan
Daughter of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (a political leader and former Prime Minister) and Nusrat Bhutto (former Member of Parliament and Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan) Married, December 18, 1987 to Asif Ali Zardari (in business, twice elected Member of National Assembly and Senate) Ms Bhutto was sworn in as Prime Minister for the first time in 1988 at the age of 35, but was removed from office 20 months later under the order of then-president Ghulam Ishaq. In 1993 she was re-elected but was again removed in 1996 by then-president Leghari. She went into exile in Dubai in 1998. She returned to Pakistan on 18 October 2007. She was assassinated on 27 December 2007, after departing a PPP rally in Liaqat Bagh, Rawalpindi. Children: Mr. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Ms Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari and Ms Aseefa Bhutto Zardari.
Education
Radcliffe College, Harvard University, B.A., 1973; Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, B.A., 1976; Graduate study at Oxford in Foreign Service, 1976-77.
Career
Political activist with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan, 1977-84; repeatedly imprisoned and kept under house arrest by the Pakistani government; political exile in London, England, 1984-86; returned to Pakistan in April, 1986; Pakistan Peoples Party, Karachi, Pakistan co-chair, beginning in 1986; After elections held November 1988, invited to form the government, became Prime Minister in 1988 but her government was illegally dismissed in August 1990. She again came to power after her party won a majority in elections held in October 1993. Her government was once again dismissed illegally in November 1996.
- Bruno Kreisky Award of Merit in human Rights, 1988.
- Honorary Phi Beta Kappa Award (1989), presented by Radcliffe College, Harvard University.
- Highest Moroccan Award “Grand Cordon de Wissam Alaoui”
- Highest French Award “Grand-croix de la Legion Honneur” (1989)
- The Noel Foundation Award, 1990 (UNIFEM).
- Honorary Fellow of Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh – 1990
- The Gakushuin Honorary Award, Tokyo (1996)
- Award by the Turkish Independent Industries and Businessmen Association (MUSAID) on account of providing assistance to the people of Bosnia.
- Golden medal Dragon of Bosnia awarded by President of Bosnia (1996)
- Key to the city of Los Angeles, presented by the Mayor of Los Angeles (1995)
- Presidential Medal, Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Science (1995)
- Medal by University of California at Los Angeles (1995)
- Honorary Doctorate of Law, L.L.D Harvard University (1989)
- Honorary Doctorate of Law (Honoris Causa), University of Sindh (1994)
- Honorary Doctorate from Mendanao State University, Philippines (1995)
- Honorary Doctorate of Law (Honoris Causa), Peshawar University (1995)
- Honorary Doctorate of Economics, Gakushuin University, Tokyo (1996)
- Honorary Fellowship by Lady Margaret Hall, University Oxford, (1989)
- Honorary Fellowship by St. Catherine College, University of Oxford, (1989)
- Honorary Professor of the Kyrghyz State National University (1995) Kyrghyzstan.
- Honorary Professor of Yassavi Kazakh Turkish University, Kazakh-Turkish International Language University, Kazakhstan, 1995.
- Honorable Member of OHYUKAI, Alumni Association of Gakushuin, conferred by OHYUKAI Tokyo (1996).
- Awarded the 2000 Millennium Medal of Honor by American Biographical Institute, Inc. in November 1998.
- Awarded American Academy Award of Achievement in London, October 28, 2000
- Awarded “World Tolerance Award 2005” by Women World Awards in Leipzig, November 29, 2005
- Awarded ‘International Woman of the Year 2006′ by the prominent European Publishing House based in Dubai as part of “Emirates Woman Awards 2006’. Nominated Chair of “Muslim Women for Human Rights and Democracy” Oslo, Norway, May 6-7, 2007
- Awarded the prestigious Tipperary International Peace Award for April 25, 2008 (posthumously)
- Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was posthumously awarded the Service to Humanity Award by the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 1-5 Dec 2010.
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto is the author of two books “Foreign Policy in Perspective” (1978) and her autobiography, “Daughter of the East” (1989). Several collections of her speeches and works have been compiled which include “The Way Out”, Pakistan Foreign Policy, Challenges and Responses in the Post-Cold War era in “After the Cold War” by Keith Philip Lepor and Male Domination of Women offends her Islamic religion in “Lend Me Your ears: Great Speeches in History” by William Saffire. The most recent being “The Way Out” (1980). She has also contributed to many periodicals and to the books, “Predictions for the Next Millennium” by Kristof and Nickerson and “Book of Hopes and Dreams” published by Bookmaster Inc.
- One of the factors which led to throwing Ms Benazir Bhutto out of Power
- Ms Benazir Bhutto Defends PPP’s Power Policy
- BBC Radio Talk Show
- Script of an interview With Guylaine Idoux of French Magazine ‘Elle’
- Afghan Arms Kick-Backs
- South Asian Nuclear Parity Opens Door for Resolving Kashmir
- Caught in a Whirlpool
- A Quiet Revolution
- National Survival – PPP’s Proposed Alternative Agenda
- INDIA’S NUCLEAR TEST
- Indian War Games Danger to Pakistan
- Benazir Bhutto for Pursuing ‘Open Borders’ Policy
- Kargil biggest blunder in Pak history: Benazir
- Government of Defaulters, For Defaulters, By Defaulters
- The Quest for Peace
- Ms Benazir Bhutto’s interview on various issues
- The Nawaz Conviction
- Benazir suggests remedies
- Benazir hopes for victory if polls are fair
- Still Looking Eastwards An Interview with Benazir Bhutto
- The Rise of the Intelligence Officer and his Friends
- Might can crush, it cannot conquer
- Ms Benazir Bhutto’s Interview with The News
- Benazir lashes out at ISI, Foreign Office
- The General as President
- Defining supreme national interest
- The Dynamics of a Political Marriage
- Military Regime Has Failed To Revive Pakistan Economy
- INDO-PAK SUMMIT 2001
- The Agra Summit
- All in ‘supreme national interest’
- Declarations are difficult for generals
- Bring Benazir Back
- Interview of Mohtarma Bhutto
- Megawati – Is She the One to Solve Indonesia’s Mega Problems?
- Islam Is A Call For Peace
- Restore Pakistani Democracy
- The Terror Attack
- Reproduces three year old interview of Ms Benazir Bhutto vindicating her vision
- Democracy vs. Terror – Islamic Countries Deserve Freedom Too
- Taliban-type fanatics want Ms. Bhutto out of Politics: PPP UK
- Interview of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
- Musharraf’s three awesome assignments
- Attention! About Turn
- Musharaf in Japan
- Harbinger of democracy in Pakistan
- East and West: Can the two meet?
- Carry on General, Strip yes but Don’t Tease
- THE SMELL OF WAR MAY 2002
- Terror in Karachi
- The death of a minister
- The democratisation of Pakistan is our best chance of avoiding a nuclear war over Kashmir
- Interview With Benazir Bhutto
- nterview of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to ARY – TV
- Pakistan’s rigged elections must be rejected
- Haunted by an Exile
- People of a Lesser God
- Benazir Bhutto: Prospect and Retrospect
- A Mail-Ordered Conviction Against Ms Bhutto
- Benazir to Summon Top Pakistani Generals for Cross Examination in her Trial
- The other side of the Bhutto story
- The General is in a Constitutional Crisis
- New Regional Alignments
- The Difference Between Right and Wrong
- The Way Out of Pakistan’s Constitutional Crisis
- Mohtarma Bhutto in BBC programme
- Bhutto Can Pull Pakistan’s Chestnuts Out of Nuclear Fire
- Quaid-e-Awam – The Ideal Leader
- Judiciary Being Misused to Let Musharraf Stay in Uniform
- Only a strong & true Democracy can ensure lasting peace, expanding trade: Benazir
- Commonwealth and Pakistani Democracy
- Who Killed Munawar Suhrawardy?
- Benazir’s PPP not to lose vigour
- Gender Bias
- Matters of the Moment
- Pakistan produces the goods, again
- Pakistan produces the goods, again
- Age of Terrorism and Poverty
- Tale of Two Anti-Bhutto Press Conferences in London
- Salute to a Mother
- Interview of Ms. Benazir Bhutto Political Review Aspenia
- ASIA TIMES ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
- Major Military Changes in Pakistan October 2004
- Destiny’s Daughter From The Times – April 28, 2007
- A Conversation With Benazir Bhutto
- No grand return for Pakistan’s Bhutto
- Democracy for Pakistan By BENAZIR BHUTTO – June 8, 2007
- The polarizing ex-leader could be a volatile addition to the political crisis
- Interview Benazir Bhutto CNN – August 5, 2007
- When I Return to Pakistan By Benazir Bhutto
- Interview of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to IPS
- Benazir Bhutto: ‘We want to save Pakistan’
- Benazir Bhutto tests Pervez Musharraf’s strengthChristina Lamb and Dean Nelson in Islamabad
- Bhutto Fights Back By Ron Moreau and Fasih Ahmed
- The present unrest in Pakistan – Benazir Bhutto & David Miliband
- Bhutto: Time for Musharraf to go CNN
- No time for dictatorship By Benazir Bhutto – November 4, 2007
- Musharraf’s Martial Plan By BENAZIR BHUTTO
- Why the world needs democracy in Pakistan: Dictatorship fuels extremism, which reaches far beyond Pakistan
- BENAZIR: A Woman of Peace & Reconciliation!! By Faiz Al-Najdi
- Bibi and the Thorns of Life By Ilyas Mohsin December 27, 2008
- A ruler of hearts By Dr Javaid Laghari
- My Leader by Fauzia Wahab
- The ‘trial of grave’ The News – by Bashir Riaz
- Reconciliation be the tribute to Benazir’s memory By Wajid Shamsul Hasan
- Benazir Bhutto: birth of an immortal By Nisar Ahmed Khuhro
- Benazir Bhutto Shaheed — happy birthday! By Riaz Ali Toori
- Shaheed BB: Our source of inspiration By Farzana Raja
- Icon of democracy By Sharmila Faruqi
- Happy birthday, dear sister! By Shazia Marri
- Bnazir: service to the nation By Humera Alwani