Posted on January 9, 2008
Filed Under Guest post, Opinion, Pakistan, South Asia, World Politics |
by Aijaz Ali Soomro
The tragic deliberate assassination of Benazir Bhutto on 27th Dec 2007 marked in the history of Pakistan as the second event after the merciless killing of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto on 4rth April 1979 which shocked whole the nation and shacked the very roots of the state. It was just unbelievable and very much painful for a tender heart. No words to explain the state of shock, grief and emotions the nation suffered. The people belonging to all communities in the country as well as the entire world condemned killing of the great leader. Unfortunately it has been the history of Pakistan that the leaders have been killed in ruthless manner since independence. The formality of so-called investigation is done and the calamities become fairly the pages of the history books but this story should not end that way it must bring a big change in the fate of the country.
The point worth noting is to why the Bhutto family has been the target since beginning, the so-called judicial hanging of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, poisoning conspiracy of Shahnawaz Bhutto, murder of Murtaza Bhutto and now Benazir Bhutto. All these events seem to be continuation of a single agenda, to wipe out Bhutto family.
Elites of Pakistan do not like to be ruled by anyone else even having majority in the political ground; it is higher than their prestige to be governed by inferior people. The East Pakistan detached and became a sovereign state because their majority was denied.
The same tradition of the denial of majority was repeated once again when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was killed. He was one of the greatest leaders of the world and the real representative of the people of Pakistan. For instance a vast majority of people of Pakistan were socio-economically poor and anti-American. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s regime was poor-loving and wanted to introduce the policy of socialism and went openly against the US. The symbol of democracy was mercilessly hanged. Who killed him and why?
At present the elites are in the form of establishment. Due to the failed policies of the establishment Musharraf was weakened particularly the case of the chief justice and in anxiety state he went for the national reconciliation.
When Benazir Bhutto decided to come back to Pakistan, many rumors spread that all it was because of a deal and she was confirm as the prime minister with Musharraf as the president. On 18th Oct when she came back from self-exile to homeland the hundreds of thousands of people gathered for welcome of Benazir Bhutto created very much unrest for the establishment and alarms of danger rang in their ears. After coming back to home her statements were firm, straightforward and even against president Musharraf, many times in election campaign rallies she clearly roared, “One more push for the falling wall”, since the issue of the chief justice Musharraf has been on decline. Many people thought that the combined setup of Benazir and Musharraf would not go a long way. Benazir Bhutto might have intention of collapsing the current setup completely to establish democracy in its real form for which she went among the people to motivate them to get a clear-cut majority. She knew that her life was at risk nevertheless she did not compromise with her mission and lost her life striving for democracy until her last breath.
Benazir Bhutto’s policies were clearly against Al-Qaeda and all other extremist groups even she did not like to sit together with the leaders of MMA, she could have become a big hurdle for the pursuits of Al-Qaeda if she had come to power. In Muslim world only Pakistan possesses nuclear weapons therefore has been a focus of the big powers, the US and Britain in particular. It is in their national interests that Al-Qaeda should not get access to the nuclear technology. They would support the regimes in Pakistan which are against Al-Qaeda and in accordance with them. Therefore Benazir Bhutto got continuous support from the west especially she gained more sympathies when she raised the issue of AQ khan. All this could be an eye-sore for Al-Qaeda. But the point should be noted that she was not in power at the moment so she was not an immediate or so much urgent problem for Al-Qaeda. One can hardly believe that Al-Qaeda is responsible for the assassination.
For whom she was the biggest hurdle? Question arises here. Benazir Bhutto was leading the biggest political party of Pakistan; she also had received a warm welcome at her arrival and her stance was very strong in the election campaign rallies. It was expected that she could have swept a prominent majority in forthcoming elections and as a result become able to topple the establishment.
In fact it is too earlier to say confirm who killed Benazir Bhutto but it is clear that these elements do not want the real democracy in Pakistan. Benazir Bhutto’s killing is the murder of sentiments of the people of Pakistan. The great leaders do not born daily. Like guardians who earn livelihood, run their houses and care about their families, the leaders are guardians of the nations. When parents die the offspring becomes orphan and when leaders die nations fall into anarchy then disorder and destruction is the ultimate fate.
Benazir Bhutto’s death is loss of democracy, loss of whole the nation and in particular the people of Sindh. A wave of hatred was evident among masses in Sindh after her death. These people ask why the leaders belonging to Sindh province are being killed. All the benefit goes to a particular class of people who are non-democratic and have resolved to remain in power at any cost. Benazir Bhutto’s death has created a vacuum in politics of the country which can not be filled by any means but the responsibilities and mission she has left on the shoulders of people of Pakistan must be accomplished.
All efforts should be put for a proper and sincere investigation for finding the objective of killing her and the killers who should be prosecuted according to the law as soon as possible.
Fair and free elections should be arranged and let the power be shifted without hesitance and jealousy to the parties which get majority in elections. Further a complete provincial autonomy can be solution of many problems of the country; all the provinces should be given their reasonable rights to avoid provincial dominancy of big province of Punjab and feeling of nothingness and despair among the people of small provinces.
This tragic event has brought Pakistan to a turning point. As the time passes by the reality becomes evident and the truth always wins. If Al-Qaeda has killed Benazir Bhutto then the matter is different but if the establishment is proved to be involved in removing her from the political field then it may become a challenge for the national integrity of Pakistan.
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[...] The point worth noting is to why the Bhutto family has been the target since beginning, the so-called judicial hanging of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, poisoning conspiracy of Shahnawaz Bhutto, murder of Murtaza Bhutto and now Benazir Bhutto. All these events seem to be continuation of a single agenda, to wipe out Bhutto family [read more] [...]