Author Fatima Bhutto ties the knot in an intimate ceremony in Karachi

Author, activist and niece of the late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Fatima Bhutto, has tied the knot at her residence in Karachi.

Fatima Bhutto is the Granddaughter of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and her younger brother, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Junior, took to Twitter to break the marriage news.

“On behalf of our father, Shaheed Mir Murtaza Bhutto, and the Bhutto family, I’m very happy to share some happy news. My sister Fatima and Graham were married in an intimate Nikkah ceremony on yesterday at our home, 70 Clifton,” said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Junior in his tweet showing the picture of the wedding ceremony. The picture shows both the bride and bridegroom in the wedding dress with Graham wearing the garlands .

On behalf of our father, Shaheed Mir Murtaza Bhutto and the Bhutto family, I’m very happy to share some happy news. My sister Fatima and Graham were married in an intimate nikkah ceremony yesterday at our home, 70 Clifton. pic.twitter.com/SQjPB4yB7r

— Zulfikar Ali Bhutto ذوالفقار علي ڀٽو (@BhuttoZulfikar) April 28, 2023

Zulfikar Junior further wrote, “The ceremony was attended by Fatima’s loved ones in our grandfather’s library, a place that means a lot to my dear sister. Due to the difficult circumstances felt by our fellow countrymen, we all felt it would be inappropriate to celebrate lavishly.”

“Please keep Fatima and Graham (Gibran) in your prayers. God bless you,” he said in his tweet.

My brother Zulfikar tied our grandmother’s imam zamin on me and the ceremony was conducted in my grandfather’s libraries, one of my most beloved places on earth. Behind us were my aunts, uncle and father’s childhood photos and an original People’s Party flag placed by my… pic.twitter.com/QwTcbfsEYk

— fatima bhutto (@fbhutto) April 29, 2023

Writer and actor Mira Sethi and producer Sarmad Khoosat were among those who congratulated the couple while commenting below the post.

The event was a private affair, with only close friends and family in attendance.

A celebrated writer and columnist

Fatima Bhutto was born in Kabul in 1982. Police killed her father Murtaza Bhutto, son of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, in 1996 in Karachi. His sister Benazir Bhutto (the late) was the prime minister of Pakistan at that time.

Fatima has written several books including a memoir titled “Songs of Blood and Sword,” about story of her family’s turbulent political history, and novel “The Shadow of the Crescent Moon.” It explores lives of people in a small Pakistani town near Afghan border. Whispers of the Desert, 8.50 a.m. 8 October 2005, Songs of Blood and Sword and New Kings of the World: The Rise and Rise of Eastern Pop Culture are her other works.

Her brother, Zulfiqar congratulated the newlyweds on social media. “On behalf of our father, Shaheed Mir Murtaza Bhutto and the Bhutto family, I’m very happy to share some happy news. My sister Fatima and Graham were married in an intimate nikkah ceremony yesterday at our home, 70 Clifton,” he wrote on his Twitter handle.

“The ceremony was attended by Fatima’s loved ones in our grandfather’s library, a place that means a lot to my dear sister. Due to the difficult circumstances felt by our fellow countrymen and women, we all felt it would be inappropriate to celebrate lavishly.” He also called for prayers for the couple. The event was reportedly a private affair, with only close friends and family in attendance.

Fatima graduated from Columbia University in 2004, majoring in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, She did Masters in South Asian Government and Politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies in 2005.

Fundraising for flood affectees

Fatima and Zulfikar raised money for flood victims by auctioning experiences this past year.

They were vocal in their calls for help for people affected by the floods and Zulfikar was praised for his anti-feudalism stance after a speech at the Sindh Moorat March.

Family’s political history

The Bhutto family has a long history in Pakistani politics, with several members serving playing key roles in the Pakistan Peoples Party. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was executed in 1979 after being overthrown in a military coup.

Despite the family’s political legacy, Fatima Bhutto has largely remained out of the political spotlight. She has focused on her career as a writer and activist. She has been critical of the traditional political system in Pakistan.