'Songs of Blood and Sword' is the first book i have read on the first political family of Pakistan. Many Indians are unaware of the history of Pakistan and the case is similar with regard to Bhutto family. Written by grand daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Fatima Bhutto, this book brings about murky details of Pakistani politics and the bloody history of Bhutto family.
Bhutto family came in prominence in modern India with the rise of Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto, he was extremely rich landlord from Larkana, Sindh. Later he became the Diwan of princely state of Junagadh; he tried hard to merge Junagadh with Pakistan but his attempt was foiled by the brilliance of Sardar Patel and others. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was born in Sindh in 1928, lived in Bombay and Junagadh during his childhood and studied in University of California, Berkeley and Oxford, UK. He joined Ayub Khan government but resigned after Tashkent agreement; formed Pakistan Peoples Party in 1967; played a very sinister role in the bloody civil war of Pakistan that resulted in the parting of East Pakistan as Bangladesh. Later he became the Prime Minister, brought some socialist elements in governance, architect-ed the "Independent" foreign policy of Pakistan, brought Pakistan closer to China without diluting her relations with USA. In his later period he romanced with Islamic fundamentalists, declared Ahmediya Muslims as non-Muslims and began the Islamicization of the country. In the OIC summit of 1974, he declared thunderously that "Pakistan would fight for the cause of Islam". He was deposed and executed by more "fundamentalist" General Zia-ul-Haq after serving two years in Jail. General Zia-ul-Haq completed the Islamicization of Pakistan before his death in Air crash in 1988. During this time the sons of Zulfikar Bhutto, Mir Murtaza Bhutto and Shahnawaz Bhutto fought against the brutal regime of Zia. Their sister Benazir Bhutto made a deal with military after the death of Zia and became the Prime Minister against the sane advice of Mir Murtaza Bhutto in 1988.
It is believed if not widely that General Zia organized the assassination of Shahnawaz Bhutto in Nice, France in 1985 but Benazir did not order any investigation into this after becoming Prime Minister. She was also against the coming of Murtaza Bhutto from his exile in Damascus but Murtaza returned in 1993 only to be imprisoned by Bhutto's government as soon as he landed in Pakistan. In this sibling rivalry over the legacy of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Mir Murtaza Bhutto was brutally murdered along with his 7 body guards outside his home in Karachi in Sept 1996 leaving Benazir the supreme and sole leader of Pakistan Peoples Party. Fatima Bhutto writes very emotionally that Asif Ali Zardari organized the assassination of her father, and her aunt (i.e. Benazir) was hand in glove with Asif Ali Zardari. Zardari was imprisoned for few years in jail on charges of murder, he was acquitted in 2008. The circle completes itself at the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi in Dec 2007.
This book is written with lot of emotions and zeal and at many a places you have to close your mind and follow the writer. Fatima Bhutto definitely deserves accolades for this heart touching and tear inducing book.
Highly Recommended (8/10)
