BY MIAN SOHAIL IQBAL
ISLAMABAD; In a tense and emotional press conference held at Sindh House Islamabad on Aug 6, 1990, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto denounced her dismissal as an “unconstitutional and undemocratic act,” accusing military intelligence of orchestrating the move through undue pressure on President Ghulam Ishaq Khan.
This correspondent of the Then ‘The Frontier Post’, now Editor-in-Chief (MNNNEWS.ONLINE) was present at Sindh House and witnessed firsthand the raw emotion that unfolded as Bhutto addressed the nation soon after her government was dissolved at around 4 pm.
Surrounded by senior party leaders, Bhutto remained composed yet resolute, while the atmosphere around her was heavy with sorrow and defiance.
Party workers, including women and youth activists, wept openly as she recounted what she called a betrayal of democratic values. Many clutched party flags and photographs of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, chanting “Shaheed ki beti zindabad!” as she spoke.
“This was not a constitutional decision,” Bhutto said. “The president acted under pressure from undemocratic forces. My government was removed not on legal grounds, but through a conspiracy aimed at derailing democracy.”
Throughout the press conference, several senior PPP leaders — visibly shaken — attempted to calm grieving workers, who broke down in tears as Bhutto detailed her party’s sacrifices and the challenges ahead.
Day after the dissolution on August 7, Benazir Bhutto in Karachi condemned the newly installed caretaker setup as illegitimate, saying it was filled with “blackmailers, crooks, and individuals acting against Pakistan’s interests.”
Bhutto demanded the immediate dissolution of the interim administration and called for a neutral, constitutional arrangement to oversee upcoming general elections.
“We reject this regime entirely,” she declared. “We will not accept manipulated elections. Our struggle for democracy will continue — and so will the voice of the people.”
As Bhutto concluded her remarks, the hall echoed with slogans of defiance and hope — an emotional yet powerful reminder of a party unwilling to surrender its democratic mission.
