The Resume

(January 5, 1928-April 4, 1979)
Born in Larkana, Pakistan
Founded the Pakistan People's Party (1967)
President (1971-73) and Prime Minister (1973-77) of Pakistan
Overthrown in a coup led by Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
Arrested for allegedly ordering the assassination of a political rival
Executed by hanging
Father of future Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto

Why he might be annoying:

he was blamed for causing the crisis that led East Pakistan to break away and become Bangladesh by demanding nullification of the election in which East Pakistan's Alawi League won a majority of seats in the National Assembly (1971).
His socialist policies, including nationalizing most industries, slowed down the country's economic progress.
He allegedly ordered diplomat Jalaluddin Rahim tortured after Rahim complained that Bhutto had insulted his dinner guests by keeping them waiting until midnight for his arrival.
He was accused of rigging an election to keep his party in power (March, 1977).
In a last-ditch attempt to stay in power, he sucked up to Islamic fundamentalists by outlawing alcohol, gambling, nightclubs and movie theaters.
He launched Pakistan's nuclear weapons program.
He said, 'If India builds the bomb, we will eat grass or leaves, even go hungry, but we will get one of our own.'

Why he might not be annoying:

He negotiated the Shimla Treaty with Indira Gandhi, resulting in the return of 93,000 POWs and 5,000 square miles of Pakistani territory.
Ten days after his arrest for ordering the assassination of a political rival, he was released, with the judge calling the evidence 'contradictory and incomplete.'
Zia-ul-Haq's regime had him re-arrested and tried before a judge who had long been a political enemy of Bhutto.
Doubts about the fairness of his trial led to pleas for clemency from US President Jimmy Carter, Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev, Chinese Premier Hua Guofeng and Pope John Paul II.
In a 2011 newspaper poll, he was named the second-greatest Pakistani, behind only 'Father of the Nation' Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 38]
• Celebrities Born on the Same Date [January] (Ranked: 1051928)
• Executed by the State
• I Attended John F. Kennedy's Funeral [November 25, 1963]
• I Attended Oxford
• I Attended University of California, Berkeley
• I Attended University of Southern California
• I Attended Winston Churchill’s State Funeral [January 30, 1965]
• I Died in 1979 (Ranked: 51)
• I Was Hanged
• Look at My Flag
• Profiles 31751-32000 (Ranked: 31878)
• We Died on the Same Day (Ranked: 19790404)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 87.50% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 21 Votes: 14.29% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 5 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 15 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 16 Votes: 56.25% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 19 Votes: 73.68% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 15 Votes: 86.67% Annoying