Era of Benazir Bhutto in Urdu/Hindi | First Term |

Benazir Bhutto was the first elected female Prime Minister of Pakistan. She was also the first female leader to lead an Islamic Country. She was elected twice, once in 1988 and other in 1993. She also served as the opposition leader. She was born in Karachi and was the elder daughter of former Prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. During both of her terms, her opponent was Nawaz Sharif, whose party Islami Jamhori Etihad (IJI) and then Muslim League Nawaz formed the government when Benazir Bhutto was the opposition leader. There were serious cases of corruption against her husband Asif Ali Zardari. Her first government was dismissed by President Ishaq Khan. Before becoming prime minister she came to Pakistan in 1977 when her father was arrested. Then she along with her mother campaigned for PPP. Then she was exiled and then returned to the country during the 1988 elections. During her first term, many PPP leaders left PPP due to ideological differences. Bhutto released many political prisoners, left ban from trade unions and student associations and ended the media censorship. The government faced problems of Narcotics and Pakistan at that time was the world's largest heroin exporter country. Bhutto wanted to change Chief of Army Staff but the president refused. She also wanted to nominate Malik Qasim as a presidential nominee but military opposed. When she tried to change finance minister Mahbub ul Haq, the military also intervein. Beg made it clear to Bhutto that the military will not tolerate her interference in defense and foreign policy. At that time 60% of the country’s population lived in Punjab whose Chief Minister was Nawaz Sharif, this was really problematic. During her first term, Bhutto also made some foreign trips to get investment and aid. In June 1989 she visited the USA. The civil war was also underway in Afghanistan and America used to contact directly with Aslam Beg, Hamid Gul and Ishaq Khan rather through Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. April 1989 Hamid also did an operation to seize Jalalabad, but failed and put the blame on Bhutto. Initially, the relation with India was good, Rajiv Gandhi visited Pakistan and both of the countries agreed to not to attack each other nuclear facilities. But then took a hard line toward India on the Kashmir Issue. Bhutto visited a military training camp and gave $5 million in aid. President and military were reluctant to tell her about the nuclear progress, and it was the US who told her about the outstanding progress of the Pakistani Nuclear bomb. ISI organized “Operation Midnight Jackal” to bribe and intimidate National Assembly members. 1989 MQM also left PPP. Her husband used to attend cabinet meetings without being a member of the cabinet. Corruption and unemployment were common. In August 1990 her government was dismissed by president Ishaq Khan by using the 9th amendment. There held the election in October 1990 and IJI led by Nawaz Sharif won the elections. Benazir Bhutto became an opposition leader and Nawaz Sharif as prime minister. November 1992 she organized a 10-mile long march from Rawalpindi to Islamabad to protest against the IJI government.