Benazir Bhutto

Former Pakistani Politician

Pakistani Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan

Quick Info

ProfessionFormer Pakistani Politician
NationalityPakistani
Date of Birth21/06/1953
Age54 years (died on 27, Dec, 2007)
BirthplaceKarachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Date of Death27/12/2007

Latest News about Benazir Bhutto

27/12/2025

Pakistan observed the 18th death anniversary of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Special events were arranged across the country by the Pakistan People's Party to pay tribute to her leadership and struggle for democracy. President Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari paid homage at the main ceremony in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto.

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Bio/Wiki

NicknamePinky
Notable AchievementFirst woman to lead a Muslim-majority country as Prime Minister

Physical Stats & More

Height165 cm
Eye ColorBlack
Hair ColorBlack

Educational Qualification(s)

School
  • Lady Jennings Nursery School, Karachi
  • Convent of Jesus and Mary, Karachi
  • Presentation Convent High School, Rawalpindi
  • Karachi Grammar School, Karachi
College/University
  • Radcliffe College, Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, England
  • St Catherine's College, Oxford, England
Degree(s)
  • B.A (Hons) in Comparative Politics
  • Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Economics
  • Master of Arts in International Law and Diplomacy
Notable Academic AchievementFirst Asian woman elected President of the Oxford Union

Personal Life

ReligionIslam
CasteSunni (also, Sayyids)
Food HabitNon-vegetarian

Relationships & More

Marital Status (at the time of death)Married
Affairs/BoyfriendsImran Khan (Pakistani politician)
Marriage Date18/12/1987

Family

FatherLate Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (Former Pakistani Politician, executed 1979)
MotherLate Nusrat Bhutto (Former Pakistani-Iranian Public Figure)
Siblings
  • Murtaza Bhutto (Former Pakistani Politician)
  • Sanam Bhutto
SpouseAsif Ali Zardari (Pakistani politician)
Children

Career

Political PartyPakistan People's Party
Political Journey
  • Benazir became 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in December 1988.
  • In 1990, her government was dissolved on charges of corruption, nepotism, and despotism.
  • She served as the leader of the opposition from 1990 to 1993.
  • Pakistan People's Party was again elected to power in 1993 and Benazir became the Prime Minister for the second time.
  • In 1996, her tenure was ended on the charges of corruption.
  • Became 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan on December 2, 1988, following the death of General Zia-ul-Haq in a plane crash.
  • Led the Pakistan People's Party to victory in 1988 elections, winning 94 of 207 seats in the National Assembly.
  • First term (1988-1990): Implemented socialist principles including Roti, Kapra aur Makan (bread, clothing, and shelter); improved relations with India; returned Pakistan to the Commonwealth of Nations.
  • Government dissolved in 1990 on charges of corruption, nepotism, and mismanagement; served less than two years of her term.
  • Served as leader of the opposition from 1990 to 1993.
  • Won second election in October 1993; Pakistan People's Party won plurality of votes and defeated Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League in every province except Balochistan.
  • Second term (1993-1996): Brought electricity to rural areas, built schools nationwide, made hunger, housing, and healthcare top priorities, attracted foreign investment.
  • Dismissed from office in 1996 by President Leghari on charges of mismanagement; National Assembly dissolved.
  • Failed re-election bid in 1997.
  • Went into self-imposed exile in Britain and Dubai; convicted of corruption in 1999 and sentenced to three years imprisonment.
  • Continued to direct Pakistan People's Party from abroad; re-affirmed as PPP leader in 2002.
  • Returned to Pakistan on October 18, 2007, after President Musharraf granted amnesty on all corruption charges.
  • Assassinated by suicide bomber on December 27, 2007, in Rawalpindi.
PositionPrime Minister of Pakistan (two terms)
Key Achievements
  • First woman to be democratically elected to lead a modern Muslim nation
  • Improved Pakistan-India relations during first term
  • Returned Pakistan to the Commonwealth of Nations
  • Implemented social programs benefiting women, the poor, and the dispossessed
  • Expanded rural electrification and school construction
  • Attracted foreign investment to Pakistan

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Benazir Bhutto served as Pakistan's first female prime minister during two terms, from 1988–1990 and 1993–1996.
2. She was named after a deceased aunt, and her name means 'One Without Equal'.
3. Despite being from a Sindhi family, Benazir's primary language was English.
4. She made history as the first Asian woman elected as President of the Oxford Union debating organization.
5. Her father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was executed in 1979.
6. Benazir faced multiple arrests and periods of house arrest during her political career.
7. Her favorite treat was peppermint-stick ice-cream cones due to her sweet tooth.
8. She discreetly enjoyed a swinging lifestyle with various participants.
9. Attending parties organized by Oxford University students was something Benazir enjoyed.
10. Throughout her career, she encountered controversies such as allegations of smuggling nuclear data and a dismissed government.
11. Benazir Bhutto and her husband received corruption charges leading to imprisonment, later overturned.
12. She was tragically assassinated on December 27, 2007.
13. Her son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, succeeded her as chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party.
14. She endured frequent house arrest and went into exile from 1984 to 1986 before returning after martial law was lifted.
15. Her marriage to Asif Ali Zardari in 1987 was an arranged marriage in the Muslim tradition, with her mother acting as marriage broker.
16. She was elected Prime Minister barely three months after giving birth to her first child.
17. Throughout her career, she encountered controversies including allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
18. Benazir Bhutto and her husband received corruption charges that were later overturned after she received amnesty in 2007.
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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