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Between dreams of ascending to power and bitter nightmares of assassination, unfolded the life of the late Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto, former prime minister of Pakistan and chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), who was also the first woman head of government in a Muslim country.
Benazir grew up in a prominent family of politicians, one of the most prestigious in Pakistan if not in all the Far East. Her father was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a former Prime Minister who was executed by General Zia-ul Haq in the presence of his wife and daughter Benazir in the aftermath of a military coup through which Zia-ul Haq came to power. Her grandfather Shah Nawaz Bhutto was the founder of the first political party in the Sindh province, home of the family.
This book tells the story of Benazir step by step, from the early years in her prestigious home of politicians, through her university education in the United States and Britain, and goes on to describe her first moves in the world of politics and power.
Yet, the most important aspect of this book is that it focuses on the human side of the life of Benazir, the daughter, university student, leader, mother and wife, Benazir of the special charisma that helped her captivate hearts before souls.
The book also carries a live experience of the author who had interviewed Benazir at the time she was prime minister of Pakistan in 1990 in Islamabad. That interview caused an uproar at the time and caused many reactions in the Egyptian press community. More so, since the Pakistani PM was then about to deliver her third child and later became the first head of government ever to give birth while in office.
The author of the book, Nawal Mustapha, Editor of Ketab al-Yom, says Benazir was a person born with the genes of leadership and the features of attraction; whom fate has dropped in fires that melt iron but she did not founder; the waves of life have thrown on rocks of conflict and power but she did not break; revenge has put her in the ranks with the humble for a life of justice but she would never retreat or hesitate.
She says about her interview with Benazir in Islamabad "I feel proud for having had the chance to do this interview with such a unique personality, whose charisma has always overwhelmed me and many others all over the world. The prize awarded me by the Journalists Union for that interview, and its outstanding journalistic success culminated that feeling and marked that great event in my life of having met that extraordinary person Benazir Bhutto."
The book has a picture addendum comprising a large number of rare photographs of the late leader at various stages of her life, including photographs of Benazir with her family and some of the most prominent world leaders and politicians.
The book was a great success when published in January 2008 at the Cairo International Book Fair. It was discussed at a special symposium during the Fair where the speakers have been novelist Dr. Alaa al-Aswani, poet Ahmed el-Shahawi and Dr. Said el-Lawendi the political writer at Al-Ahram. A second edition was published just one month later, as the first was totally sold out in less than a 30 days.
Many articles were published about the book in prestigious papers and magazines, the most important of which were by Mr. Ibrahim Se'da at Al-Akhbar and poet Ahmed el-Shahawi at Nisf-ul Donia.
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