I had first met Benazir Bhutto 17 years back when she had come to Delhi to participate in Rajiv Gandhi%u2019s funeral. Since then, whenever she came to India, she invariably met me and discussed with me the Indo Pak relations and the problem of terrorism. The last time I spoke to Smt. Benazir Bhutto was on October 19, the day of her arrival in Pakistan, after many years of exile abroad, to resume her battle for her country%u2019s democratisation. Religious extremists had made their intention known on that day itself, since her courageous return to Pakistan coincided with a terrorist attack in which more than 125 persons were killed. In my telephonic conversation, I said to her: %u201CI am gratified that you have escaped this bid on your life. The people of India are with you in your struggle against both military rule and terrorism.%u201D Thanking me for my words of solidarity, she had said: %u201CAdvani Saheb, I was not in Pakistan when you came here in 2005. Now that I am back, I would like you to come again as our guest.%u201D Alas, she is now no more.
