He has, however, urged the international community not to loose faith in the people of Pakistan.
Speaking at an annual World Women’s Award ceremony in Vienna on Thursday, he said that the problems Pakistan was facing at the moment were unprecedented.
He said that the PPP government has inherited the blowback of years of political instability in the region.
He said his father President Asif Ali Zardari and the Pakistan Peoples government, led by Prime Minister Gilani, is continuing his mother’s political mission for the alleviation of the sufferings of the masses, to give them hope and to surmount the piled up backlog of the grievous and challenging problems left as the legacy of the past rulers.
‘One news columnist has suggested that my father has the’ hardest’ job in the world.’
‘In the year since my mother’s assassination, I have been gratified to hear time and again of the tremendous respect and admiration which she had not only as a political leader in her own country but in the world. My mother was a political pioneer, setting new precedents and making it easier for others to follow her footsteps.’
‘As Prime Minister she was a role model, always encouraging others to reach the top of their profession. Her dream, like that of my grandfather, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was to create a society where people did not live in hunger and humiliation. And she went about her work in a spirit of tolerance, knowing that, however different we might be, we all have talents and abilities.’
The annual Women’s Tolerance Award renamed as Benazir Bhutto Tolerance Award after the assassination of the former prime minister of Pakistan in recognition of her outstanding achievements as one who had lived and died for global peace, democracy, tolerance and empowerment of the underprivileged, including women, went this year to world famous actress of yesteryear Claudia Cardinale who the citation said has devoted her life for the betterment of women world over.
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Fittingly enough, Benazir’s son, Bilawal presented the Award to the Italian actress at a glittering ceremony.
Claudia Cardinale was one of the 12 famous women, social and human rights leaders to receive Women’s World award this year. Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had received Women’s Tolerance Award in 2005.
The twelve categories the World Women’s Award included Life Time Achievement award, World Hope Award, World Style Award and World Tolerance Award.
When the organisers announced renaming of the award after Benazir Bhutto the 2000-strong audience welcomed it with thunderous clapping.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari thanked the organisers of the award ceremony for the recognition given to his great mother by renaming the Women’s Tolerance Award as Benazir Bhutto Tolerance Award who he said had lived and struggled all her life for the emancipation of the less privileged and establishment of an egalitarian socio-economic order.
Bilawal Bhutto was accompanied by his aunt Sanam Bhutto and Pakistan’s High Commissioner to UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan.
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