Last minutes of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto with Benazir - From the Diary of Benazir Bhutto

Today is my last meeting with my Father (Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto). It is a day of April 3 at Central Jail Rawalpindi.

Baba (Father) asked inside from the jail; Why you both (Nusrat Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto) came together today at Jail?

Mom (Nusrat Bhutto – Benazir’s Mother) remained silent. Mom has no strength to reply Baba.

Baba: It seems that today is our last meeting. Baba asked from the Jail Superintendent, that is this my last meeting?

Jailer replied: Yes.

Baba: Is the date has been confirmed?

Jailer: Yes. Tomorrow Morning.

Baba: At what time?

Jailer: As per the orders at 5:00 in the morning.

Baba: When did you get this information?

Jailer: Last night.

Baba: How much time I’ve been allowed to meet with my family?

Jailer: 30 minutes

Baba: Can you make ready my stuff for bath and shave? Baba said that the world is so beautiful and I want to say goodbye to this world in a same way.

Baba said to Mom: Give love to all my kids and tell Mir, Sunny and Shah that I always tried to be the world’s best father and I wish I could say them Goodbye.

Baba said to me and Mom that you both have tolerated too many difficulties. Today, these people are going to kill me and I am leaving you all on you own will, whether you want to leave Pakistan until the constitution of Pakistan is suspended and Martial Law is imposed or stay here. I better suggest you that if you want peace of mind and would like to start your life with the new beginning, than you should go to the Europe. You all have my permissions.

Our hearts were about to cry and Mom said that we’ll not leave Pakistan as we’ll never let these dictators to feel that we’ve lost our battle.

Baba: What about you Pinky (Nickname of Benazir)?

I said that I also cannot go anywhere else from here.

Baba smiled and said, today I am very happy. Baba said to me that don’t you know that how much I love. You are very dear to me and always remained dear to me.

Superintendent said: Time has been over.

Once I heard the voice, I hold the grills of Jail strongly and begged to the Jailer to open the door of the jail so I can say goodbye to my baba, but Jailer refused.

I begged jailer again and said him that my father is elected Prime Minister of Pakistan and I am his daughter. This is our last meeting, please let me meet with my father, but Jailer refused again.

I tried to hold the hands of my dad from the grills. Baba was lying down due to Malaria and insufficient diet, his body became so weak. Instead of that, Baba got up, sat and hold my hands and gave a charming smile to me and said, today I’ll be freed from every kind of worries of this world, today I’ll meet with my Lord, my mom and dad. I am going back to my native place Larkana today, so that I can rest in the land and winds of my lands.

Baba: I’ll become a part of stories and people will applaud me. These days it is too hot in Larkana. I’ll make a shelter for myself there.

I said Goodbye to Baba with creeping voice.

Me and my mom started going out of the jail and wanted to see back to Baba, but we’d no strength. I know I was unable to let my dad come out of the jail.

I heard the voice of my dad saying; Goodbye, till we meet again.

Instead of replying my dad, we walked out of the jail, but I was feeling no senses. I was feeling like I’ve become of stone and walking through with no senses.