Begum Nusrat Bhutto being remembered on ninth death anniversary today

LAHORE (92 News) - Begum Nusrat Bhutto, wife of former premier Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, is being remembered today on her ninth death anniversary.

Bhutto was mother of assassinated PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and mother-in-law of former president Asif Ali Zardari. Born on March 23, 1929, in Esfahan, Iran, Begum Nusrat Bhutto was an Iranian-Pakistani who was the former First Lady of Pakistan.

She became her husband's successor as the chairman of the Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) from 1979-1983. She was elected Member of National Assembly (MNA) from Larkana in 1988 and 1993.

Begum Nusrat Bhutto was an iron lady who stood against undemocratic forces in Pakistan. She was awarded the highest civilian award for democratic struggle against dictatorship. She faced the tyrannical rule of the dictator Zia-ul-Haq with utmost bravado.

Despite house arrests and other difficulties created for her by the government, she persisted in her struggle to raise the flag of democracy in Pakistan. Her courage was a source of inspiration for the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) workers.

She led her people by example and gave them a clear message that there would be no compromise on the struggle for democracy even if it meant writing history with their blood.

After she lost her husband, Begum Nusrat Bhutto took charge of PPP as the chairperson and continued her struggle against un-democratic forces.

After the death of Shaheed Zulfiqar Bhutto, Begum Bhutto redoubled her political struggle for democracy.

Begum Nusrat Bhutto was born on 23 March 1928 and she passed away in Dubai on Oct 23, 2011 after a protracted illness. She was 82.