He had appeared loyal and understanding, a Pakistani version of Denis Thatcher. While Benazir Bhutto carried out her prime ministerial duties, her husband stayed in the background. Though hardly retiring, since he loved playing polo and zooming around in a white Mercedes most of his time seemed to be spent running his construction company.

No longer Asif Ali Zardari Mr. Bhutto has taken center stage in a political row that is threatening to topple his wife’s 19 month old government. It is alleged that far from staying out of his wife’s business, he has been actively involved, obtaining commissions on government business deals to raise money for himself and Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s party.

The accusations could hardly have come at a worse time for Bhutto, who is at odds with the army over her handing of growing ethnic unrest in Sind and is being berated for Pakistan’s poor economic performance. Only the fear of showing disunity at a time of threatened war with India over the disputed province of Kashmir appears to be stopping Ghulam Ishaq Khan, the president, from dismissing her and ordering fresh elections.

While her opponents have long accused her government of being inept and corrupt, the allegations against her husband, who they have now dubbed Mr, 10% have given them new, potentially more damaging ammunition.

The prime minister’s reliance on relatives has also drawn considerable criticism. Begum Nusrat Bhutto, her mother is deputy prime minister and Hakim Ali Zardari, her father in law is head of the parliamentary public accounts committee the corruption watchdog. Conceivably he might soon have to investigate his son, a situation opposition politicians deride, claiming Zardarni senior is no better than his son.

The accusations have been strongly denied, with Bhutto Claiming they are part of a conspiracy aimed at removing her from power, last week her husband, demanding that opposition leaders and newspaper editors prove the charges against him or publicly apologize and pay damages of 3m started legal proceedings for defamation.

It could be an interesting move; Bhutto supporters fear her husband’s actions could open a Pandora’s Box containing embarrassing cases which, even if not involving her husband, are likely to include members of her government.

One case centers on the biggest robbery in the country’s history, in which a London based Pakistani businessman was robbed of $900,000 by a gang headed by a member of Bhutto’s party. Even more damaging was that the head of the gang was said to be a close friend of her husbands and had arranged meetings between

Zardari and the businessman before robbing him.

Another case involves the government’s decision to sell 1.4m square yards of the most expensive land in Islamabad worth at least 190m for only 600,000 to a British company named International Guarantee Trust, operating from an accommodation address in London, International Guarantee wants to build a huge tourist complex in the capital.

But opposition politicians, who have persuaded the courts to suspend the deal, claim the company is a front company owned by Zardari and his father, both of whom have been mentioned as respondents in the writ. Documents have also been filed in court alleging that the prime minister herself overruled officials so that International Guarantee got the contract.

Last week, opposition leaders and editors welcomed Zardarni’s moves to take them to court, in what is likely to be one of the most celebrated cases in the country’s history. This is the best opportunity we found so far to question Zardarni in court about his malpractices,” Syeda Abida Hussain, a fiery opposition leader, said.

The accusations have left the Bhutto’s besieged. Recently, Zardari bought all the houses adjacent to the prime minister’s Official residence, Bilawel House, in Karachi and ordered a 30 ft high concrete wall to be built around the entire area. Elaborate security devices are also being fitted.

Inside, Bhutto may worry about whether she will come to regret a comment she made shortly before her marriage in 198 7. “I would never marry if I thought it would affect my career,” she said. “Without my career, my marriage would simply not work.”

He who loves not his country can love nothing

BYRON

Article extracted from this publication >> July 20, 1990