DAWN Archive: Goodbye Shahzadi (Book Review)

BB's Cordon Bleu
By Anjum Niaz

Journalist Shyam Bhatia's entitlement to being in Benazir Bhutto's cordon bleu is hotly disputed. (The word originated from the sky-blue ribbon worn as a badge by knights of the highest order of the French knighthood under the Bourbons.)

In BB's case, the only people entitled to such a distinction are her hardcore circle of Oxford friends. I called up one of them in London to comment. Victoria Schofield succeeded BB as the President of the Oxford Union in 1977. Their friendship spans a period of 33 years. Up at Oxford I don't remember meeting Shyam nor did Benazir ever mention him as a close friend," she said.

Bashir Riaz, better known as 'Bash' by BB and all who know him is another angry man today. "Bhatia would never dare call BB 'Shahzadi'or 'Pinkie' nor did she give him open access as he claims. Bhatia used to pester me to arrange a meeting with BB. He would call me several times a day. If he was so close to her as he wants the reader to believe, why did he always have to go through me?"

Many wonder why Benazir Bhutto chose an Indian journalist to open up her heart to. Surely, she could have revealed her innermost secrets to a Pakistani. Why tell state secrets to an Indian, they ask. SB claims to be the only journalist before whom BB bared her heart and soul. "The book is a sham as is Shyam," declares Bashir Riaz, the man who was constantly by the side of his leader for the last 30 years. "BB would say Bhatia is a very dangerous man and that we should all be very careful of him," Bash recalls.

Victoria Schofield makes a similar observation: "Benazir would be wary of Shyam being an Indian journalist." Unlike SB, the Indian journalist who was really 'very close' to BB was the television ace interviewer Karan Thapar, says Victoria.

Even the circumstances of his last interview which Bhatia embellishes in Goodbye Shahzadi are 'incorrect', says Bash. SB writes that it was BB calling him in London from Pakistan and wanting SB to send her questions after her triumphant return to Pakistan. "That's lies." According to Bash, SB's written questions were as per routine answered by Farhatullah Babar, okayed by BB and forwarded by Bash.

"So why romanticize the whole episode?" asks Bash, narrowing his eyes. Gentle of disposition, it's not often that Bash becomes angry. More than anger, it's sadness that overtakes this old warrior. Bash adored BB and watched over her like a hawk.

"Now that she's gone and cannot speak from the grave, opportunists can write whatever they know will sell. But as long as I am around, I will continue to set the record straight."

Victoria Schofield spent one whole year living with BB after Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged. She writes serious stuff based on research and analysis. Calling Goodbye Shahzadi an instant book betraying "inept analysis", Victoria says that the author has "put together random recollections which Benazir no longer alive can refute his version or disagree with the recollected encounters." Bhatia's book "falls in a class of books where an enormous number of people are eager to capitalize on recollections." She says BB being a politician knew many people, particularly journalists. "You were either a friend or a journalist." According to Victoria while Karan Thapar was BB's trusted friend who, like other Oxford friends, would "never cross the boundaries," SB's "friendship was never solid or deep."

Victoria Schofield can never think of betraying her dead friend's confidence the way Bhatia has done. However, she thinks SB's book is "not a complete fabrication; it is cleverly crafted based on the cache of contents he saved up over the years and assembled in a convincing manner to  make the reader believe everything."

General (Retd) Naseerullah Babar, Benazir's security czar called me up from Peshawar. "I cannot imagine Benazir saying all what Bhatia claims in the book." On another book Crossed Swords that contain details of army chief Asif Nawaz's alleged death by poisoning, Babar said, "When our government took over, I sent the hair samples of Asif Nawaz to France and Russia. The results from both the countries showed that he was not poisoned as was being alleged. I put the reports before the parliament to clear former PM Nawaz Sharif's name."

Originally published in Daily DAWN newspaper's Sunday Magazine supplement; July 27, 2008.