Deliberative Oratory in the Darkest Hour: Style Analysis of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s Speech at the Security Council

Main Article Content

Syeda Sara Abbas

Abstract

In 1971 Pakistan suffered a near death experience: genocide, civil war, migration and territorial configuration.  Central to understanding this experience is the statement of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto at the Security Council that not only embodied the Pakistani reaction and explained the national viewpoint; it also brought forth the major complexities and participants. The focus of this paper is a style analysis of the statement delivered by Bhutto on December 15, 1971. Using two discourses: the scholarly and the theatrical to communicate purpose, he flouted restrictions of diplomatic discourse and employed emotional nuance to reach his audience. Though ironic, deeply personal and hyperbolic the statement is significant example of deliberative oratory. The intensely personal style is central to its enduring power.

Article Details

Section
Refereed Articles (Humanities)
Author Biography

Syeda Sara Abbas

Syeda Sara Abbas teaches technical and business writing at Point Park University, Pittsburgh and is interested in rhetoric, language and texts from the Islamic world. She is a Carnegie Mellon alumna (MA) and is currently working on a textbook for children with Islamic heritage.