And she stooped to conquer

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It was the longest day of the year and the happiest too for the Bhuttos when on June 21, 1953, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed was born. She was destined to rule the hearts and minds of millions of people. On her birth anniversary, I fondly remember my profound association with her that spread over a period of three decades. And in various capacities too. Obviously this places me in a unique position to write volumes on her and her achievements.

However, her horrendous assassination on December 27, 2007, left me in a state of mind that could at best be expressed in the words of poet Anne Bronte's following lines:

Oh, I am very weary,

Though tears no longer flow:

My eyes are tired of weeping,

My heart is sick of woe.

Hers was the glow that kept nation's life ignited in the most depressing moments and has kept me going as well. Though that light has been extinguished by those who wanted to see disintegration of the country, she remains the symbol of Pakistan's unity against those that have been conspiring to fail it.

Her life was put to an end when Pakistan needed her most. And this was the reason that she shrugged aside - the threats of death that were conveyed to her through various channels - by those who saw in her return to Pakistan an end to their dirty game. Their warnings to her were clear - Pakistan had space for only one - either her or them. Her participation in elections would have meant defeat for them. She preferred to do and die for Pakistan rather than buckle in to fatal intimidations of the dictator.

Though born in one of the most famous political families in the Asian sub-continent, martyred Benazir Bhutto was tampered in an upbringing that could make her withstand most adverse pressures in life. And even death.

She was bright as a student. Her academic insight brought her success at Harvard and Oxford Universities. She wanted to be either a journalist or a foreign policy expert. It was fate that plunged her into politics.

I had the first glimpse of her when she accompanied her father, the then President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, to Simla for a summit with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to negotiate an honourable agreement for peace in 1972 - peace that has kept the two countries away from war ever since.

As a member of the media team in Mr. Bhutto's entourage, I spotted in her outstanding traits of making of a leader. Barely 19, she carried herself with grace, stately dignity and striking confidence. She left a lasting impression on Mrs Indira Gandhi. The coup against her father in 1977, followed by his judicial murder in 1979, catapaulted her into politics to complete ZAB's mission.

As the leader of the country's biggest party - the Pakistan People's Party - Mohtarma took upon herself the onerous challenge of completing the mission of transforming Pakistan into a modern democracy with equality for all its citizens - irrespective of caste, creed or colour - as envisioned by the Quaid and her martyred father. Because she had dared to challenge Pakistan's obscurantist forces and the Bonapartist generals - Mohtarma braved years of persecution. She had proven her political prowess by holding the People's Party together and enormous vote bank intact while in exile.A constant target of vilifications - acknowledged as politically motivated even by her main political rival-dictator Pervez Musharraf, her sustained popularity sprung a rude shock in the face of her opponents both in and outside the corridors of power when she received an unprecedented welcome on her return as "the daughter of their destiny" (Oct 18, 2007).

The sea of people from the remotest parts of the country converging into Karachi only to be marred by two suicide bombings - aimed at killing her - left over 150 dead. It was a conspiracy most foul in Rawalpindi. The regime ensured all footprints that could lead to the perpetrators of her murder were ordered to be destroyed. She could not be deterred by such cowardly acts. She was brave, bold and courageous and she could not be intimidated by any threats. Once in a similar situation she had remarked: "We must break the siege of fear and send the message to others that no threats can deter us in our march for democracy."

We have had many opportunities to sit together and dilate on the future of Pakistan in the given circumstances. She firmly believed that the real choice that Pakistan faced today was the choice between dictatorship and democracy. She insisted: "The path we choose will determine the outcome of the battle between extremism and moderation in Pakistan."

Mohtarma laid down her life for the confidence she had in the people of Pakistan. "I am confident about the future of Pakistan. I believe that a nation that is inspired by democracy, human rights and economic opportunity will turn its back decisively against extremism. Indeed, I look forward to the day that a truly democratic Pakistan, unhindered by extremists and military rule, takes its place on the world stage" were some of her last words that I remember she spoke to me before leaving for Pakistan.

For the entire nation and me, life after her assassination was a deluge! But now I believe I was wrong since she always held a positive view in most adverse circumstances. Her death has proved to be a turning point. By sacrificing her life and nurturing the fragile sapling of democracy with her noble blood, she had laid the foundation of a new democratic order in Pakistan. The return of democracy under her successors President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has gone a long a way in transforming people's resilience into burying the hydra-headed monster of military dictatorship.

Today despite war on terrorism consuming most of our resources, the democratic government has achieved milestones towards empowering the people through its policy of reconciliation and reconstruction that was pronounced in the Balochistan Package, NFC award, and 18th amendment in the constitution. All these steps have consolidated the fragmented nation and given root to our nascent democracy. We have still far to travel but nothing seems to be unachievable-if we persevere our determination to fulfill Bibi's mission of making Pakistan a modern, progressive egalitarian nation-state.