January 1, 2008 Benazir Offered to
Pour me Tea,
Asked about my Children By Fakir Hassen
Colombo Benazir
Bhutto, who was assassinated last Thursday as she left a rally, had
a unique bearing that made her stand out among many world leaders. I
was fortunate to be one of very few journalists who got the
opportunity to interview the then prime minister of Pakistan when
she attended the inauguration of president Nelson Mandela in 1994
together with scores of other world leaders.
The meeting had been arranged by Nadeem Riaz, the then press attaché
at the newly-established Pakistan High Commission in Pretoria, and
his wife Ayesha, who had become good friends after Ayesha first
contacted me while I was manager of the station Radio Lotus to offer
Pakistani music, which she said was "too absent" on the station
which catered to South Africans descended from sub-continental
immigrants.
There were repeated security checks and clearances, more by the
hosts than the Pakistani team at the Sandton Sun hotel, where
security had never been tighter as several world heads of state were
resident there to attend perhaps the greatest political event in
South Africa's history.
After that I was ushered into a room where Bhutto sat on a sofa,
resplendent in her Hijab headscarf, which she constantly adjusted
during her interview.
I recall my first impression being that she must be spending a lot
of time on her makeup, as she had this flawless image that made me
think she could easily have been a movie star herself.
But the initial perception of a stern, domineering politician faded
away very quickly as Bhutto enquired after my own children and spoke
about her love for children generally, although she remained
fiercely protective of giving any details about her own children.
The imposing presence melted even more quickly as she offered to
pour me a cup of tea herself, despite aides being at hand.
Then Bhutto chatted informally, revealing a great depth of knowledge
about the history of South African politics, and wanting to know
whether the South Africans of Indian descent included those whose
forebears came from what is now Pakistan and how they felt about the
newfound freedom from apartheid rule and democracy here. It was
almost turning into me becoming the interviewee rather than
interviewer when an aide reminded us of the time constraint and we
reverted to the original purpose.
In retrospect, I cannot help thinking that there was a bit of an
irony in the fact that I was interviewing Bhutto at the inauguration
of Mandela, the only other world politician I have ever had the
privilege of meeting who had the same knack of putting you at ease
and displaying such caring that you immediately change your
perceptions of them as being as human as the rest of us - having
families they care about, while not compromising on their commitment
to the cause of their own people and nations.
Just a week before her assassination, I saw a satellite television
interview where Bhutto, quoting the Quran, said very confidently
that she had no fear of being killed by any Muslim because she
believed that "no true Muslims would ever attack a woman because
they would burn in Hell".
Now, as speculation continues about who was behind the assassination
and even how the leader died, her words seem to ring alarm bells
about attitudes towards not just social values, but even religious
prescriptions in a world gone awry with global terrorism.
(Fakir Hassen is a Johannesburg-based journalist and can be
contacted at 27824154806@vodamail.co.za)
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