Zardari: modest builder to powerful president

True, the couple had usual ups and downs and faced stormy periods but Zardari stood by his wife all along. He refused to allow himself to be used as bargaining chip. This policy paid well and after Nawaz Sharif failed to break AAZ; his successor Pervez Musharraf also failed in his mission to use AAZ’s long incarceration. Benazir Bhutto stood her ground and fought bravely as her courageous husband stood by steadfastly.

Pakistani politics traditionally is brutal and cruel; Benazir Bhutto lost her life while making serious and sincere effort to take Pakistan into real enlightenment. That was end of a dream; even her sworn enemies cried over her assassination, her widower AAZ cried foul but he stopped mourners to raise slogans against Pakistan. That endeared him to patriots in Lahore.

There is no use over castigating AAZ over his failure to restore deposed judges and his unwillingness to get along with Nawaz Sharif. Never neglect the fact the PPP has representation in all the four provinces while PML-N has none in Sindh and Balochistan. The Model Town man had no idea that after jointly jettisoning feeble Musharraf, AAZ would offer himself for his job and he will baffle his friends and foes alike. But this happened and now the parliament and four provincial assemblies are set to elect the son-in-law of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as future president of Pakistan. By all accounts he was deposited to history during lifetime of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. But destiny compelled him to stage his comeback that is grand by any standards.