I presumed the photo to be genuine. The basis of my presumption was that in late 1980s somebody had shown me a photographic print of another picture of her taken during the same period. She was with a male friend and the pose was, well, much more informal. (The digitization and computer tricks that are available today did not exist in those days. Even the PCs were very few.)

Then there was a story in the widely circulated newspaper, Daily Express, of London, UK, during her first term of office. It quoted her male friends of those days about her life style. The newspaper was not sued for defamation, though it would not have been difficult for a sitting Prime Minister.

However, I apologize in advance if the picture that I had forwarded (originally published on a website) turns out to be doctored or fake. I would be the last person to condone what was done by a PPP organ, Shahab weekly, owned by Kausar Niazi and edited by Nazir Naji, during the election campaign in 1970. It took a dancing pose of a popular heroine of the time, Naghma, and superimposed the head of Maulana Maudoodi on it.

Meanwhile, I also do not believe that public figures are holy cows or should be treated like that. Politicians always want to come into power and decide our destinies. The people should know everything about them, whether good or bad. (Incidentally, I have never been associated with any political party all my life.)

Benazir, at that time believed that her lifestyle was the right one. Any reference to that now should not embarrass her or her admirers. If it does, it will be hypocrisy. That is something not acceptable from  somebody who had been Prime Minister twice and aspires to be again.

Advertisement