Farewell-Daughter of the East
Benazir Bhutto has been stopped at her strides. Her third attempt to help give her country a democratic government was gruesomely anticipated by those opposed to liberal ideas and democratic dispensation in Pakistan.
Someone had once said after the death of a young member of the Bhutto clan that the Bhuttos die young. Benajir's death has borne out the truth of the statement, sadly. She was too young to die, but in this part of the world politics and death combine to stalk the young. With her death ends the political lineage that her father Zulfiquar Bhutto helped continue in Pakistan, at least for the time being.
It was the one of bleakest days in Pakistan's turmoil-filled history, certainly the bleakest event in recent times. She fell victim to the assassins' bullet in the very place that Pakistan's first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan became a victim of what can be called the first political assassination in Pakistan. Then as now, the fingers were being pointed at the establishment; the only difference is that while then it was merely a surmise, this time President Musharraf is being accused of being complicit in Benazir's death either by association or default.
This is not the first political killing in Pakistan and one wonders whether, given the military ruled country's experiment with democracy which was patchy at best, with occasional tinge of democracy laced with prolonged period of military rule, sometimes indirectly but most of the times directly, we have seen the end of political assassination in that country.
Benazir had returned to Pakistan as a part of a deal brokered by the Americans. She had antagonized a section of people in Pakistan who was opposed to any action that would provide political space to Pervez Musharraf and validate the election and along with it perpetuate his role in Pakistan politics as its president. And it was perhaps because of US pressure that she was not able to respond to the call to boycott election. It appears that Musharraf failed to provide adequate protection to his political ally.
Benazir had a premonition of death. She knew fully well that her life was at risk and made no secret of it. That a quarter in Pakistan was not well disposed towards her return to the country was made amply clear the day she landed in Karachi for the first time in eight years of exile. More than hundred and fifty people were killed in the blast that greeted her arrival on Oct 18th this year. She was undaunted. And till the very day she kept on repeating her disdain for death and for those she thought was after her life. Whatever her enemies and detractors can accuse her of, they cannot accuse her of cowardice.
Benazir had many detractors in Pakistan, and many opponents of her policy. But it is hard to believe that any of her political opponents would like to see her out of their way in such a violent manner. She had been very vocal against the religious fundamentalist in her country. She had criticized Musharraf for having failed to control the rise of Islamic terrorists and the al Qaeda. She was critical of the military too and of the militarization of the administration, but only those in Pakistan that considered her a threat to their interests or indeed their existence are the ones that would benefit from her death.
The world's attention is focused on Pakistan, particularly on Pervez Musharraf, waiting to see what actions he takes related to the 8 Jan election. The elections will in all likelihood be postponed, but it ought to be held sooner than later, in the interest of both Musharraf and Pakistan.
The author is Editor Defence & Strategic Affairs, The Daily Star.
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