Benazir Bhutto Timeline

After years of imprisonment, Bhutto was permitted to travel to London for medical treatment following surgery. She remained in exile for nearly two years, continuing to lead the PPP from abroad and building international support for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.

Bhutto returned to Lahore, where hundreds of thousands of supporters greeted her at a rally. Her triumphant return energized the pro-democracy movement and cemented her status as the leading challenger to Zia's rule.

In elections widely seen as influenced by the establishment through funding of opposition parties, Bhutto's PPP lost to Nawaz Sharif's alliance. She became leader of the opposition, criticizing Sharif's government from parliament.

Image source: 1990 Pakistani general election

Zardari was arrested and jailed for several years on various corruption and criminal charges during the late 1990s. He was released in 2000 and joined Bhutto in exile. Critics dubbed him 'Mr. Ten Percent' for alleged kickbacks during his wife's governments.

Nawaz Sharif's party won a landslide victory in the February 1997 elections. Bhutto's party suffered heavy losses amid public anger over corruption allegations, pushing her toward a long period in self-imposed exile.

Image source: 1997 Pakistani general election

Facing corruption charges and legal cases, Bhutto left Pakistan and spent nearly a decade in exile, mainly in Dubai and London. She continued to lead the PPP from abroad and lectured internationally, including at Harvard and Oxford, while corruption cases against her and Zardari proceeded.

Bhutto engaged in negotiations with military ruler Pervez Musharraf facilitated partly by US and British diplomacy. A potential deal emerged allowing her return to Pakistan in exchange for cooperation, though Musharraf refused some demands such as removing restrictions on seeking a third premiership.

Hours after Bhutto returned to Pakistan following eight years of exile, suicide bombers attacked her homecoming motorcade in Karachi, killing about 139 people. Bhutto escaped unharmed but the attack foreshadowed the mortal danger she faced from extremist groups.

Image source: 2007 Karsaz bombing

Musharraf declared a state of emergency, suspending the constitution and dismissing judges. Bhutto was placed under brief house arrest and criticized the emergency, demanding free elections. Musharraf lifted the emergency in December ahead of planned January 2008 polls.

Image source: 2007 Pakistani state of emergency

While leaving a campaign rally in Liaquat National Bagh, Rawalpindi, Bhutto was assassinated in a combined shooting and suicide bombing attack. She was 54 years old. The assassination shocked the world, sparked nationwide riots, and was attributed to militants linked to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, though responsibility remains disputed.

Image source: Assassination of Benazir Bhutto

In her political testament, Bhutto named her 19-year-old son Bilawal as chairman of the Pakistan People's Party, with her husband Asif Ali Zardari serving as co-chairman. The party went on to win the February 2008 elections and formed a coalition government.

Image source: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

A United Nations commission investigated the circumstances of Bhutto's assassination, concluding in 2010 that the attack could have been prevented and that the investigation by Pakistani authorities had been inadequate. Various commissions and inquiries have since examined her murder, which remains officially unresolved.

Image source: Assassination of Benazir Bhutto

Her son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was born shortly before she took office, making her one of few world leaders to give birth during her political career. She famously continued campaigning until days before his delivery.

The PPP won a plurality of seats in the November 1988 elections held after Zia's death. Bhutto forged coalitions with smaller parties, positioning herself to form the next government of Pakistan.

Image source: 1988 Pakistani general election

At age 35, Benazir Bhutto became Prime Minister of Pakistan, making her the first woman to head a government in a modern Muslim-majority country. She also became the youngest prime minister in Pakistani history.

Image source: First Benazir Bhutto government

President Ghulam Ishaq Khan dismissed Bhutto's government on charges of corruption and nepotism, dissolving the national assembly. Her husband Zardari faced accusations of corruption, and the military-backed establishment supported her rival Nawaz Sharif in subsequent elections.

Image source: Military coups in Pakistan

During her second term, Bhutto's relationship with her brother Murtaza deteriorated sharply. He led a breakaway faction of the PPP and openly opposed her government, deepening a bitter family rift that played out publicly in Pakistani politics.

Image source: Murtaza Bhutto

After President Ghulam Ishaq Khan dismissed Nawaz Sharif's government and both resigned, new elections brought Bhutto back to power. She began her second term as Prime Minister with her PPP forming a coalition government.

Murtaza Bhutto was shot dead outside his home in Karachi during a confrontation with police. Many suspected involvement of the security apparatus connected to his sister's government, intensifying criticism of her administration and contributing to its downfall.

President Farooq Leghari, formerly a close PPP ally, dismissed Bhutto's second government amid corruption allegations, including claims surrounding her husband Zardari. This ended her second stint as Prime Minister.