Benazir’s aide recalls how he tried to persuade her not to return to Pakistan
Desmond de Silva reveals in his book that though the former premier lived in fear she was never afraid
One of the friends of Benazir Bhutto, Desmond de Silva, recalls how he persuaded her not to return to Pakistan. PHOTO: FILE
“I was lucky enough to become friends with Benazir Bhutto, or BB as I used to call her, while she lived in London between 2003 and 2007. Twice prime minister of Pakistan, BB was an extraordinary woman who went storming to the top, overturning prejudices as she went,” said Desmond de Silva – a close friend of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto – in his book Madam, Where are your mangoes?, according to The Guardian.
Born in Ceylon during World War II, Desmond went on to become a noted and high-profile lawyers of his generation.
Who killed Benazir Bhutto? The theories behind the murder
“Never before had a Muslim majority country had a female prime minister and never before had the Oxford Union had a female Asian president, but she was both.”
“It was during her time in exile,” Desmond remembered, “that we became friends. Having fled accusations of corruption, she had settled in London where she started to reform her father’s [Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto] political party [Pakistan Peoples Party].”
Desmond said, “I was working with a UN-sponsored international war crimes tribunal so was often away, but whenever I was in London we would meet up at her flat in South Kensington. I’d climb into the small lift with my daughter Victoria following behind and we’d go rocketing up to the fourth floor where she’d welcome us in. She’d be wearing a colourful salwar kameez with a white dupatta hanging over her black hair and would give us an enormous smile to greet us.”
The close friend of Benazir recollected how his daughter and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari then became great friends and while they would play, he and Benazir would discuss the politics of Pakistan.
“Her determination to bring about change in the country never ceased to amaze me. She talked of her father, who she adored and who was executed in 1979, and how he’d unsuccessfully tried to persuade her to leave the country.”
She talked about Pakistan and her need to continue the fight for democracy and against extremism, added Desmond.
“It was in October 2007 that she finally told me of her plans to return to Pakistan. A few of her friends had become increasingly worried about her safety and what would happen to her. In the meantime, I was aware of the position of Secretary General of the Commonwealth opening up in 2008. The position had never been held by an Asian, let alone a woman.”
Desmond said he believed that Benazir would find the role rewarding as it would provide her with security for working from the safety of Marlborough House.
I felt sure that this would be something she would be interested in as I made my way to the up to the fourth floor on that day. As we sat down in our usual spots, I began to explain to her the advantages and its appeal, he continued. “BB, you’ll be safe.”
Benazir Bhutto: a life that mirrored Pakistan's turbulence
“Desmond, I have never played it safe,” said Benazir as she put her tea down on the table in front of us and turned to look me in the eye with a smile on her face.
“She returned to Pakistan and two months later she was assassinated at a political rally in Rawalpindi. BB lived in fear, but was not afraid,” Desmond concluded.
Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a suicide and gun attack in Rawalpindi in 2007, weeks after she returned from exile to campaign in elections.
This story originally appeared on The Guardian.
Born in Ceylon during World War II, Desmond went on to become a noted and high-profile lawyers of his generation.
Who killed Benazir Bhutto? The theories behind the murder
“Never before had a Muslim majority country had a female prime minister and never before had the Oxford Union had a female Asian president, but she was both.”
“It was during her time in exile,” Desmond remembered, “that we became friends. Having fled accusations of corruption, she had settled in London where she started to reform her father’s [Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto] political party [Pakistan Peoples Party].”
Desmond said, “I was working with a UN-sponsored international war crimes tribunal so was often away, but whenever I was in London we would meet up at her flat in South Kensington. I’d climb into the small lift with my daughter Victoria following behind and we’d go rocketing up to the fourth floor where she’d welcome us in. She’d be wearing a colourful salwar kameez with a white dupatta hanging over her black hair and would give us an enormous smile to greet us.”
The close friend of Benazir recollected how his daughter and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari then became great friends and while they would play, he and Benazir would discuss the politics of Pakistan.
“Her determination to bring about change in the country never ceased to amaze me. She talked of her father, who she adored and who was executed in 1979, and how he’d unsuccessfully tried to persuade her to leave the country.”
She talked about Pakistan and her need to continue the fight for democracy and against extremism, added Desmond.
“It was in October 2007 that she finally told me of her plans to return to Pakistan. A few of her friends had become increasingly worried about her safety and what would happen to her. In the meantime, I was aware of the position of Secretary General of the Commonwealth opening up in 2008. The position had never been held by an Asian, let alone a woman.”
Desmond said he believed that Benazir would find the role rewarding as it would provide her with security for working from the safety of Marlborough House.
I felt sure that this would be something she would be interested in as I made my way to the up to the fourth floor on that day. As we sat down in our usual spots, I began to explain to her the advantages and its appeal, he continued. “BB, you’ll be safe.”
Benazir Bhutto: a life that mirrored Pakistan's turbulence
“Desmond, I have never played it safe,” said Benazir as she put her tea down on the table in front of us and turned to look me in the eye with a smile on her face.
“She returned to Pakistan and two months later she was assassinated at a political rally in Rawalpindi. BB lived in fear, but was not afraid,” Desmond concluded.
Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a suicide and gun attack in Rawalpindi in 2007, weeks after she returned from exile to campaign in elections.
This story originally appeared on The Guardian.