Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori has shared rare and deeply personal memories of his relationship with former prime minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairperson Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, recalling that she once declared him her brother while standing in Masjid-e-Nabvi during a visit to Saudi Arabia. Speaking in an interview, Tessori described Benazir Bhutto as an extraordinarily intelligent, graceful, and charismatic leader whose impact left a lasting impression on everyone who met her, even if only once.
As 18 years have passed since Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, memories of her life, struggle, and personal connections have resurfaced across the country. While many people claim closeness to the late leader, few are aware that in the early 2000s, Kamran Tessori—now associated with MQM-Pakistan and serving as Governor Sindh—shared a close and personal bond with the former prime minister during her years of exile.
Kamran Tessori revealed that his first meeting with Benazir Bhutto took place through a Pakistani businessman in Dubai, who introduced him to her. Over time, Tessori began frequently visiting her home, and a relationship of trust and affection developed. He recalled that this was a particularly difficult period in Benazir Bhutto’s life, when she had even been deprived of her passport. Tessori said he promised her that he would arrange for the issuance of her passport within 15 days—and fulfilled that promise in just 13 days.
Reflecting on a visit to Saudi Arabia, Tessori said that it was there, inside Masjid-e-Nabvi, that Benazir Bhutto publicly declared him her brother. He described the moment as deeply emotional and spiritually significant. He added that Benazir Bhutto also kept him close during her visit to Ajmer Sharif, further strengthening their bond.
According to Tessori, for nearly four years he met Benazir Bhutto almost daily. Many of these meetings were attended by Dr. Asim Hussain, a close aide of Benazir Bhutto. Tessori said that during this period in Dubai, whenever Benazir Bhutto traveled within the city, he often drove her himself, a detail that reflects the level of trust between them.
He also shared lighter, more personal memories, including a time when Benazir Bhutto gifted him an expensive pair of cufflinks on his birthday. On another occasion, Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari joined him on his yacht to celebrate his birthday, where they cut the cake together. Tessori said these moments reflected Benazir Bhutto’s warmth, loyalty, and her ability to maintain deep personal relationships even during politically turbulent times.
This phase of their relationship coincided with Benazir Bhutto’s preparations to end her exile and return to Pakistan. Tessori recalled that he himself was working at Geo News’ Dubai headquarters at the time, where he frequently had opportunities to meet and report on major political figures, including Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. He noted that he was the journalist who broke the news about a deal between General Pervez Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto, although he chose not to disclose the source of that information.
One of the most emotional moments Tessori recounted was from October 18, 2007—the day Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan after years of exile. He said that as soon as she landed and sat in her vehicle, she called him using Dr. Asim Hussain’s phone. According to Tessori, Benazir Bhutto told him, “Kamran bhai, I had promised that whenever I return to Pakistan, my first call would be to you.”
Describing Benazir Bhutto’s personality, Tessori said that words are ultimately insufficient to fully capture the bond between her and those who admired her. He added that anyone who met her charismatic personality knows that language fails to do justice to her influence and emotional depth.
During the interview, Tessori was asked a question that often puzzles political observers: why did he choose to distance himself from the PPP and later join parties considered its rivals, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional and eventually MQM-Pakistan, despite his close relationship with Benazir Bhutto?
In response, Tessori clarified that his relationship with Benazir Bhutto was not political, but rather one of brother and sister. He emphasized that despite his political journey, his respect-based relationship with President Asif Ali Zardari and other PPP leaders remains intact to this day.
Given MQM’s long-standing rivalry with the PPP—and the fact that MQM was one of Benazir Bhutto’s fiercest critics during the 1980s—the question was raised whether Tessori still holds Benazir Bhutto in the same regard while serving as an MQM-affiliated governor.
Kamran Tessori replied without hesitation that he still considers Benazir Bhutto his sister from the heart. He said that dates like October 18 and December 27 are not just tragic milestones for him personally, but black days that remind the entire nation of whom Pakistan lost, and how quickly.
