The last time I saw Bibi was the night before she left for Punjab. It may have been the evening of Dec. 19. We met at the Bilawal House in Karachi. In those days there were no excessive protocols. A party worker or leader did not have to wait for months to enter the House like you have to do now to meet the chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) or the co-chairman.
When I went in, Bibi was sitting in one of her rooms. She had this habit of always keeping a snack nearby, almonds or pomegranates. On this day she was munching on fruits. Sherry Rehman and Naheed Khan were also seated near her. Before I could greet her she asked me about a statement Pervez Musharraf had made that day about the Pakistan People’s Party. As I gave her my views, she listened patiently, as she always did. Then, without saying a word she got up and left in her car. I never saw her after that.
My final impressions of her in the last days was that she was concerned, like never before, about her security. There is no doubt that she is the bravest woman I have ever known. In fact on the day of the bombing at Karsaz, despite the panic around her, she was calm and kept advising me to keep my head low and to not expose myself. Even when she was under attack, she was worried about us.
The very next day, Oct. 19, she headed straight for Lyari. I got a call about her trip. When I reached the area, there she was standing out on the road, unafraid, waiting for me. Bibi wanted people to know that she was not scared.
Later that evening we held a press conference at the Bilawal House. The room quickly filled up with journalists. Many could not be allowed in, due to the lack of seating. So they sat down outside, on the pavement. I remember her walking out to speak to them. Again, unafraid of being out in the open.
There was one change, however, after the Karsaz bombing. She trusted no one with her security, but herself. Thereon, she would take matters into her own hands, by randomly changing cars and routes. No one knew about her changes except her drivers and Naheed Khan, who she trusted the most.
Gabol is a former member of the National Assembly of Pakistan