Benazir Bhutto- Women in Business

The Bhutto family is one of the most prominent families in Pakistan. Some even say they are a cursed family. Benazir Bhutto's father was hanged by a military dictator, one brother was slain by the police, and another was mysteriously assassinated, and she herself was assassinated on December 27, 2007 after a campaign rally. As a Pakistani I am not the biggest fan of the Bhutto family, but this post is not  about my political views. Benazir Bhutto served as the only female prime minister of Pakistan in a male dominated Islamic society and I feel she is a role model for women in the workplace, especially Muslim women. She was the only daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto the former prime minister and president of Pakistan. Zulfikar was also the founder of the political party PPP (Pakistan Peoples Party) which is in a way a 'family business' since all leaders of this political party are from the Bhutto family. Despite Benazir having older brothers she was always in the spot light politically. Her father had paid special attention to her during her childhood and went out of his way to make sure Benazir was raised in a more western fashion compared to other girls growing up in her time. This had led to Benazir pursuing an education at Oxford and Harvard at her own merit, and having a distinguished trail of thought and charisma that was charming to her western peers at university.  It is unfortunate Benazir did not survive to make enough of a difference in Pakistan in regards to women’s equality (a topic she was a strong advocate over). I believe despite her political mishaps she was a great role model. She managed to be a successful mother and leader simultaneously. She gained a role of high power amongst a society that usually looks down upon women. Her times in office were not easy as her peers were all men and they did not cooperate with her fully during her time in power. I am attaching a beautiful speech she made at the International Women Parliamentarians Conference.

I love the message she displays in this speech because it is the opposite of what many people in Pakistan believe. Many Pakistani people believe stopping their women from working or joining a family business and getting her married and having as many children as possible is an Islamic value. Well how can restricting your daughters from pursuing a career in a family business or any other area of work be in accordance to Islam when the prophet’s first wife was one of the most powerful business women of her time? How can we use 'Islamic values' as an excuse in Islamic dominated societies from stopping Muslim women from advancing in the workplace when clearly barricading women from having a career goes against Islam? Thoughts? 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv72azF_Yv4