Great Throughts Treasury

"I've never had a bank account in Switzerland since 1984. Why would the Swiss do this to me? Maybe the Swiss are trying to divert attention from the Holocaust gold scandal."

"It's true that General Musharraf opposes my return, seeing me as a symbol of democracy in the country. He is comfortable with dictatorship. I hope better sense prevails."

"It?s premature to talk about working alongside General Musharraf at this stage, although in the past we have worked jointly on certain issues such as the Women?s Bill. At the same time, I want you to know that we are also partners with Mr Nawaz Sharif in something called the charter for the restoration of democracy, so we are talking about a new democratic process in which the people of Pakistan are allowed to choose their leader and put together a coalition. And for that we are calling for a robust international monitoring team to ensure that these elections are fair and free because obviously if they?re not, the ruling party will still be in the driver?s seat and the creeping Talebanisation of Pakistan will continue."

"It would be so nice to have the luxury just to laze. So nice not to have to always get up and get dressed for some occasion. Always having to move from here to there, where everything is scheduled and even having lunch with my kids on their Easter break has to be slotted in. Maybe one day..."

"Just before the attacks happened, I was very happy. The procession was one enormous party, the atmosphere was joyful, people were dancing in the street; it was magnificent. For me, that was the real Pakistan"

"Leadership is to do what is right by educating and inspiring an electorate, empathizing with the moods, needs, wants, and aspirations of humanity. Making peace is about bringing the teeming conflicts of society to a minimal point of consensus. It is about painting a new vision on the canvas of a nation's political history. Ultimately, leadership is about the strength of one's convictions, the ability to endure the punches, and the energy to promote an idea."

"Military dictatorship is born from the power of the gun, and so it undermines the concept of the rule of law and gives birth to a culture of might, a culture of weapons, violence and intolerance."

"Leadership is a commitment to an idea, a dream and to a vision of what can be."

"Like all children I had taken my father for granted. Now that I had lost him, I felt an emptiness that could never be filled. But I did not let myself cry, believing as a Muslim that tears pull a spirit earthward and won't let it be free."

"My father was committed to his country - and our children's lives - brings the twentieth century. Once I heard that my mother asked him: - The children will marry within the family. Bated breath waiting for the answer - I do not mean that boys are taking away a cousin-brother and locked her in our house, and I do not want to daughters alive buried in a relative's house between four walls - I heard my relief, my father's response. - First, let me carry out the school. Then they'll decide what to do with their lives begin. Responded in a similar manner also for the first time when my mother gave me a burqa. We went by train Karacsib¢l Lark n ba when my mother took was a black plastic shroud g‚zszer? and gave it to me. - You're not a little girl - she said, a hint of regret in his voice. The conservative landowning family with this ancient rite of childhood crossed the world of the adult world. But what was disappointing this world! The sky, the grass, the color of the flowers gone, everything was gray and silent. The fabric that covers everything in my eyes blurred. The train is standing still in this district is obstructed from head to toe until my whole body engulfing matter. The smallest fuvallatt¢l is out of reach of sweat trickled from me. - Pinkie today took the first burk j t - my mother said to my father, when Al-Murtaz ba us. My father was silent for a long time, then said: - I do not have to bear. The Prophet himself said that the best of the veil, which is behind the eye. Do not be judged by the clothes, but also the mind and character. - So I became the first girls Bhutto, who was freed from the eternal gloom-filled life."

"Military hardliners called me a 'security threat' for promoting peace in South Asia and for supporting a broad-based government in Afghanistan."

"My father always would say, "My daughter will go into politics? My daughter will become prime minister", but it?s not what I wanted to do. I would say, "No, Papa, I will never go into politics." As I?ve said before, this is not the life I chose; it chose me? But I accepted the responsibility and I?ve never wavered in my commitment."

"Oppression does not know the meaning of provincial boundaries. Aren't our energies better spent fighting the common enemy instead of each other?"

"No, I am not pregnant. I am fat. And, as the Prime Minister, it?s my right to be fat if I want to."

"My party would not have allowed the Taleban to become such a huge force that they would need to sign a peace treaty."

"My father was the Prime Minister of Pakistan. My grandfather had been in politics, too; however, my own inclination was for a job other than politics. I wanted to be a diplomat, perhaps do some journalism - certainly not politics."

"Pakistan is at crossroads. We citizens are faced with a decisive choice this January 8th (2008) election day. We can turn our backs on the years of dictatorship, fundamentalism, and economic decline"

"Pakistan is heir to an intellectual tradition of which the illustrious exponent was the poet and philosopher Mohammad Iqbal. He saw the future course for Islamic societies in a synthesis between adherence to the faith and adjustment to the modern age."

"Pursuing peace means rising above one's own wants, needs, and emotions."

"Political dictatorship and social hopelessness create the desperation that fuels religious extremism."

"Right now, they feel they have lost their voice, and their miseries have increased since my departure."

"Pakistan's future viability, stability and security lie in empowering its people and building political institutions. My goal is to prove that the fundamental battle for the hearts and minds of a generation can be accomplished only under democracy."

"The best revenge is democracy."

"The best hijab is in the eyes of the beholder."

"The government I led gave ordinary people peace, security, dignity, and opportunity to progress."

"The Internet is the great equalizer. The technology which emanated from the Silicon Valley of California has more potential to ameliorate social inequality than any development in the history of the world, including the industrial revolution."

"The fight for the truth is important. There will come a day when you will see the result of your struggles."

"The meeting with Mian Nawaz Sharif today is aimed to discuss a joint drive for the revival of the Constitution and democracy, and for ending the dictatorship."

"The military destabilised my government on politically motivated charges."

"The forces of moderation and democracy must, and will, prevail against extremism and dictatorship. I will not be intimidated...Despite threats of death, I will not acquiesce to tyranny, but rather lead the fight against it."

"The Holy Book calls upon Muslims to resist tyranny. Dictatorships in Pakistan, however long, have, therefore, always collapsed in the face of this spirit."

"The military wants a system that protects its policies and privileges."

"The next decade cannot be a decade of confrontation and contention. It cannot be east vs. West. It cannot be men vs. women. It cannot be Islam vs. Christianity. That is what the enemies of dialogue want."

"The next few months are critical to Pakistan's future direction as a democratic state committed to promoting peace, fighting terrorism and working for social justice."

"The political parties have unanimously rejected the one-man constitutional changes."

"The United Nations charter gives every nation the right to self-defense, therefore when the American embassies were bombed it was a matter of time before the Americans responded by going for what they suspected were the causes of the attack."

"The U.S. came to understand that Bhutto was not a threat to stability but was instead the only possible way that we could guarantee stability and keep the presidency of Musharraf intact."

"The people who resent me do so because I'm a woman, I'm young, and I'm a Bhutto. Well, the simple answer is, it doesn't matter that I'm a woman, it doesn't matter that I'm young, and it's a matter of pride that I'm a Bhutto."

"They were no help in Karachi (site of escalating violence) or with the bomb blasts. All I got from them were concocted stories of corruption. What is the purpose of intelligence, if they can't infiltrate terrorism"

"To make peace, one must be an uncompromising leader. To make peace, one must also embody compromise. Throughout the ages, leadership and courage have often been synonymous. Ultimately, leadership requires action: daring to take steps that are necessary but unpopular, challenging the status quo in order to reach a brighter future. And to push for peace is ultimately personal sacrifice, for leadership is not easy. It is born of a passion, and it is a commitment. Leadership is a commitment to an idea, to a dream, and to a vision of what can be. And my dream is for my land and my people to cease fighting and allow our children to reach their full potential regardless of sex, status, or belief."

"Throughout the ages, leadership and courage have often been synonymous. Ultimately, leadership requires action: daring to take steps that are necessary but unpopular, challenging the status quo in order to reach a brighter future"

"Ultimately, leadership is about the strength of one's convictions, the ability to endure the punches, and the energy to promote an idea. And I have found that those who do achieve peace never acquiesce to obstacles, especially those constructed of bigotry, intolerance, and inflexible tradition."

"We have to modify our campaign to some extent because of the suicide bombings. We will continue to meet the public. We will not be deterred"

"We have the right to appeal to the Supreme Court and we hope that when we appeal, the Supreme Court will temporarily stay the sentence until the appeal is heard,"

"What is important is that a political party articulates the mood of a generation."

"We learned at an early age that it was men's interpretation of our religion that restricted women's opportunities, not our religion itself. Islam in fact had been quite progressive toward women from its inception ..."

"We are prepared to risk our lives. We?re prepared to risk our liberty. But we?re not prepared to surrender this great nation to militants. The attack was on what I represent. The attack was on democracy and very unity and integrity of Pakistan"

"When the United States aligns with dictatorships and totalitarian regimes, it compromises the basic democratic principles of its foundation - namely, life, liberty and justice for all."

"Whether or not the rulers allow me to take part in the elections, I will return home at any cost, not for the reason that I want to become prime minister.... (but because) I owe to the nation to fulfil my pledge I have made to it."

"Whatever my aims and agendas were, I never asked for power. I think they need me. I don't think it's addictive. I think, if anything, it's the opposite of addictive. You want to run away from it, but it doesn't let you go. It's doing it again."