‘Madam is sleeping, do not disturb’: Benazir Bhutto’s reply to former diplomat during plane hijacking, the world was shocked

Singapore’s former top diplomat Bilahari Kausikan has shared a very shocking anecdote regarding the plight of Pakistan and the prevailing indifference in power there. Referring to a 1991 plane hijacking incident, Kausikan told how the reaction from the residence of then former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had shocked the entire world. Kausikan, who was the Permanent Secretary in the Foreign Ministry of Singapore, termed Pakistan as a ‘failed country’ and blamed the feudal thinking of the politicians and the army there. When the screw was stuck on the hijacked plane, on March 26, 1991, a Singapore Airlines plane taking off from Kuala Lumpur was hijacked by four Pakistani terrorists. The plane was landed at Changi Airport and the lives of 114 passengers on board were in danger. At that time the demands of the kidnappers were not very clear, but they were insisting that they should be made to talk to Benazir Bhutto. In this period of crisis, the responsibility for talks was entrusted to Bilahari Kausikan. ‘Madam is sleeping’ – this was the reply received on the phone. Kausikan said that amid international pressure and serious situations, somehow contact was made at Benazir Bhutto’s residence at around 3 o’clock in the night. A person spoke on the phone, who understood both Urdu and English. When Kausikan told him how serious the matter was and that the lives of hundreds of people were stuck on the plane, he was stunned by the man’s answer. He said nonchalantly, "Madam is sleeping, she cannot be disturbed," And disconnected the phone. Ultimately, Singapore commandos took action and killed the terrorists and rescued all the passengers safely. What is the real reason for Pakistan’s failure? Bilahari Kausikan in his sharp comment said that blaming the borders of India or Afghanistan for the problems of Pakistan is just an excuse. He clarified that the real reason for the country’s plight is its terrible mismanagement. He said, "Pakistani politicians are a waste of time, no matter which party they belong to, and the army is the biggest part of the problem." Rejecting the illusion that Pakistan is a ‘stable country’, Kausikan described its internal instability, fundamentalism and economic weaknesses as the major reasons for its destruction.