The successful assasination of Ms Benazir Bhutto did not come as a surprise to me as I had virtually predicted it in an earlier blog. And dont jump to conclusions, I am continents away.
Let me begin by saying that the death of this brave, courageous and at times imperious woman is a tragedy and my heart goes out to her three children and her mother.But in politics we must not let sentimentality cloud our vision, we must see the reality for what it is. Benazir Bhutto took the wrong decision and has paid for it with her life. Terrorism cannot be faught with velvet democratic gloves and the USA by consistently underminig General Pervez Musharaf bears some responsibility for what has happened. His declaration of emergency was the right decision and the USA and other so called democratic western governments forced Musharaf to lift it. Had Emergency rule conmtinued this tragedy could have been avoided completely. Pakistan, is now in the danger of imploding from within and the Army is the only institution with the ability and the will to thwart the impending implosion.
Musharaf was right in saying that in view of the dangers posed by Islamic fundamentalism the time is not opportune for any change of course. Yet one Deputy Secretary of State threatened to "hammer" Musharaf a language that has not gone well in this part of the world. If USA wants to contain the situation in Pakistan, it cannot do so by proping up likely candidates by investing heavily in their political stakes. Had Ms Benazir Bhutto not been so closely identified with the stated USA game plan in the region, she could have lived.
The assasination of Ms Benazir Bhutto took place in the city of Rawalpindi a noted hot spot of Fundamentalism. Security Cover was not adequate, but the Pakistan People's Party are barking up the wrong tree when they blame the President. He had nothing to gain by having her eliminated and now stands bereft of that democratic facade that USA so desparately wants to put in place. So their anger against Musharaf is not only misplaced but also counterproductive. Unfortunately the aftermath of the Assasination may prove costly to Pakistan and the General. The USA should allow political leaders of the region the dignity of fighting for the cause of their people and not suborn them in this ever widening gyre of the War against Terror.
The Liaquat Ali Bagh where Ms Benazir Bhutto had concluded her Rally for the January 8 2008 Election was named after the first Prime Minister of Pakistan who was assasinated there in 1951 by an Afghan. The Garden lies close to the old jail at Rawalpindi where Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, her father, was hanged on 4th April 1979 by the then favorite General of America, Zia ul Haq. When Ms Bhutto came to power in 1988 she had the jail demolished and the podium where she spoke would have been close to the place where here father met an untimely end. Had the USA pressured Zia, Zulfiqar could have been exiled.
The powerful political dynasties of South Asia like the Bhutto family and the Nehru family in India by their very existence court violence. But now we must examine, even as the body of Ms Bhutto is being flown to Larkana, Sind, her record as Prime Minister. It was during her regime as Prime Minister that she encouraged the formation of the Talibaan in Pakistan and armed them and sent them into Afghasnistan and the results are there for all to see. Again she encouraged militancy in Indian occupied Kashmir that has esulted in the death of 85,000 people osince 1989.
While the death of Benazir Bhutto is a tragedy for her children,. we must also look at the legacy she left behind.