Leadership, Power and Politics

“Brilliant, arrogant, autocratic, opportunist;” Some of the few words used to describe the man
who arguably single-handedly shaped Pakistan’s political face- Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Bhutto was
a man with many faces: hero of the oppressed, naïve leftist to his foreign critics, and a corrupt
alcoholic to his local detractors. In wake of the 40th anniversary of ZAB’s hanging, let us
examine what truly made the man a true leader.

Despite being labeled as the common man’s hero, ZAB was not a common man. In his speeches
at the United Nations and other international forums, we see a passionate, well-educated and
driven man. His manifesto for the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was “Islam is our religion,
Democracy our politics, Socialism our economy and People are the source of Power” and under
this was chartered a program for “Roti, Kapra, Makan” (Food, Clothing, Shelter). Bhutto brought
politics out from the drawing rooms of the social elite and into the streets to the common man.
His philosophy was power to the people, which gave them the freedom to choose their leaders.

In the Pakistani culture of the 50s and 60s, a typical leader would be a shrewd corrupt man- most
likely a Zamindar (landlord) - who lusts after power and control despite waxing poetic about
democracy, indulges in unethical practices yet believes that Islam is the way towards prosperity.
However, with the arrival of ZAB, the image of a typical Pakistani politician changed. With a
good education and exposure to the international community, Bhutto was a competent man. To
his rivals who said he was impulsive and lead by emotions rather than logic, yet his self-
characterization was that he was in fact calm, deliberate and discreet. The man had his principles
and put them before everything. To ZAB, nothing could stand in the way of a man and his ideals.

The main source of Bhutto’s immense influence over the common man was his vocal ability; his
ability to captivate his audience, to make them impassioned. ZAB placed great emphasis on
himself being the servant of the people, their brother, friend and comrade, their spokesperson and
therefore worthy of being their leader. By placing great importance on the voices of the masses,
Bhutto was able to garner a huge political following. Such is the impact of his charisma that to
this day the PPP is one of the nation’s largest political entities. The man highlighted the people's
sovereign will and thus displayed characteristics of a true leader- someone who empowers a
group, who informs them of their rights and is able to communicate effectively and convincingly
with them. A true leader is also able to appeal and adapt to all kinds of people, despite age and/or
status, and that is exactly what ZAB did to reach his political pinnacle.

In 1971, when Pakistan was under pressure to accept Bangladesh as an independent state, Bhutto
addressed his followers in an attempt to curtail tensions. In footage of the speech, it can be
observed that he speaks the common man’s language in talking to the masses and trying to
convince them. He knew the common man's language quite well, despite being a wealth
landlord, and used it in his speeches. On international platforms, however, we see a much more
refined version of the same man. At the United Nations he speaks fluent English, the dedication
towards his country’s honor and independence evident in his words.

At many points in time, ZAB proved he had yet another quality of an effective leader: bravery.
Bhutto claimed that no acts of violence would deter him from his purpose, which was to serve
the people. Despite waves of harassment from Ayub Khan’s government, Bhutto did not go into
hiding; rather he continued to meet the people. At the United Nations Security Council on 14th
December 1971, ZAB made a captivating speech, tore his notes apart and left the room. What is
often criticized as a brash move can also been seen as a statement of resilience. It also shows the
man had a flair for the dramatic.

Bhutto’s victory in 1970 can be greatly attributed to voter’s belief of his self-characterization.
The man was able to sell an image of himself as the people’s protector. He was respected due to
his oratory skills, solicitude to the poor and bravery (political characteristics the Pakistani public
allocates great importance to.) His failure was his lack of identification with Islam- as he was
still labeled as an offender of Muslim morality, despite bowing down to right-wing pressure later
on in his presidency. However, it was Bhutto’s rigging of the elections, which triggered the
revolt against him.