Saturday, April 24, 2010


Fatima Bhutto (born 29 May 1982) is a Pakistani poet and writer. Fatima is the daughter of Murtaza Bhutto, granddaughter of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and niece of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Fatima belongs to a Sindhi family. She was born in Kabul, Afghanistan while her father Murtaza Bhutto was in exile during the military regime of General Zia ul Haq. Murtaza Bhutto was son of former Pakistan's President and Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and her mother is Fauzia Fasihudin Bhutto, daughter of Afghanistan's former Foreign Affair official. Her father was killed by the police in 1996 in Karachi during the premiership of his sister, Benazir Bhutto. Bhutto completed her BA degree in Middle Eastern studies from Barnard College of Columbia University, after receiving her secondary education at the Karachi American School. She received a Master's degree in South Asian Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. She lives with her stepmother Ghinwa Bhutto, and her half-brother Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Jr. They live at the famous residence 70 Clifton Road in Old Clifton, Karachi.

She currently writes columns for The Daily Beast, New Statesman and other publications.

She came to fame after the appearance of her first book, a collection of poems, titled Whispers of the Desert.

Following the assassination of her aunt, Benazir Bhutto, her entrance into politics has been speculated. She has stated that for now she prefers to remain active through her writing, rather than through elected officeHowever, she actively supports her mother's chairmanship to the unpopular wing of the Pakistan People's Party (Shaheed Bhutto Group), which failed to win a single seat in the 2008 elections. She believes in Democracy rather than birth right politics.

“I don't believe in birth-right politics. I don't think, nor have I ever thought, that my name qualifies me for anything”

She was in India recently for her book launch Songs of Blood and Sword..

One of her PoemsBullets

Bullets

Bullets riddle the air
Hate stalks
The streets
But sitting up high
They laugh
Nothing is wrong as long as I have power



Danger lurks around corners
Violence flows as freely as blood in the streets
Suddenly
Death is a part of everyday life
But those at top
Look down at the people and smile
Nothing is wrong
Nothing will go wrong as long as I have power

The city erupts, dissolves
The city collapses
But, at the top
They rejoice
They are in power

 

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