It isn’t just a blow to democracy but it raises serious doubts on credentials of security forces in Pakistan.
Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was killed in a gun and bomb attack after an election rally in the city of Rawalpindi on Thursday. Police said a suicide bomber fired shots at Bhutto as she was leaving the rally venue in a park before blowing himself up. “The man first fired at Bhutto’s vehicle. She ducked and then he blew himself up,” said police officer Mohammad Shahid. Police said 16 other people had been killed in the blast, but tv channels said at 20 persons were killed.“ A Reuters witness at the scene of the attack said he had heard two shots moments before the blast. Another Reuters witness saw bodies and a mutilated human head strewn on a road outside the park where she held her rally. People cried and hugged each other outside the hospital where she died and residents of Karachi, Bhutto’s home town, said they had heard gun shots after news of Bhutto’s death spread, apparently from her enraged supporters [Dawn]
Democracy wasn’t murdered today. The merchants of death decided to commit euthanasia. The death of Benazir comes as no surprise. As a matter of fact this tragedy hovered every tick of the clock. I think its time Pakistan drops few adjectives from its name: Islamic Republic of Pakistan to just Pakistan because there nothing Islamic about the country and plus ‘republic’ Pakistan is a laughing matter now.
Mr. dicktator has already made it clear that he wants to die as President of the country. Musharraf and his associates would never risk their lives by allowing democracy to even sprout in the country because that would put their own lives in danger. His lobby had strong reasons to Kill Mrs. Bhutto and making it look handiwork of extremists would have been an ideal ground to test their acquired skills from the US. There were chances of poll alliance between Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto for fighting against their common enemy. Under no circumstances Musharraf could have allowed this alliance to share a common dice and perhaps share power at the center because that would have jeopardized the power military has acquired under him. One of the major reason why democracy has never been successful in Pakistan is because the politicians have never been strong enough to control the army. The politicians have failed miserably in trying to control powers given to the army. Religion has played no part in unifying the army because Islam was never important to them. The boundaries of geography and sects seems to have demarcated hearts as well. In short they failed to use the force that was the major reason for the formation of that country.
The hands of Nawaz Sharif cannot be completely ignored as he too had his reason for her removal: He now is the only national level leader who has experience as a Prime Minister. He is now sure to take over as PM of Pakistan. The chances of this conspiracy are rare but you never know with these opportunistic and individualistic politicians.
The extremist are suspects as well. They might very well want to contest elections and capture the hot seat. This will give them free passport to cause more havoc under the name of Islamization.
Perhaps this mystery can never be resolved. Perhaps her death might just be indicative of escalation of already existing divides. Perhaps many more leaders will soon be making breaking news. There are so many reasons for violence in Pakistan than there are for peace; shia-sunni, deobandi-barelvi, religious-nonreligious, talibani-USe, pro-democarcy-anti-democracy etc etc. And when you have easy access to guns and rocket launchers, its only a matter of time before it self-destructs.
I pray for Benazir Bhutto’s soul. May Allah grant her Jannah, Ameen.
Civil Society versus Un-Civil Society
by Naeem Sadiq
2007 will be remembered as a year of extremism. It was in this year that ‘the extremists became very extreme’, to quote from the president of the PCO Republic. It was in this year that the extremists on the mountains of Waziristan killed and captured more soldiers than at any other time in the history of Pakistan. It was in this year that the extremists in Islamabad fired a long-distance, high-speed PCO missile that knocked out one’s own strategic assets such as the Constitution and the judiciary. It was in 2007 that we became the only country in the world that suspended and ‘house-arrested’ its own chief justice twice in the same calendar year. It was in this year that a militant legislation transferred all state powers to a single individual — perhaps the only person in the world who has a nuclear button in his pocket and whose constitutional amendments cannot be challenged.
Also in this year the political parties displayed unparalleled greed and spinelessness by legitimising extremely substandard PCO products like the PCO president, PCO judges, PCO PM and PCO Election Commission. No wonder the Chinese calendar calls 2007 the year of the animal we do not like to talk about.
But there was also a new sense of energy and resistance in the air that began to give hope to the dark despondency of 2007. It was for the first time that Pakistanis, forgetting their many differences, closed ranks and began to take positions around a single dividing line. The line that separates the civil and the uncivil society. A divide along the lines of conscience on the one hand and compromise on the other.
What are the dynamics of this new development? While the traumatic events of 2007 may have been a triggering factor, this new wave reflects an accumulated disillusionment of people from 60 years of uninterrupted deceit, corruption and lawlessness. Gradually but firmly, people have come to perceive their leaders (both civil and military) as corrupt, self-serving and power-hungry whose only interest is to use the placebo of clichés, deceptive manifestos and hollow slogans to dupe the masses.
The educated middle class — lawyers, teachers, students, doctors, professionals, individual citizens and groups — which has traditionally kept itself at a distance from mainstream politics is awakening to a realisation that it has stayed on the sidelines for too long.
There is a growing realisation that years of inaction, silence and cynicism have only resulted in people being taken for a long ride. In a classic replay of Pastor Niemöller’s famous lines, the home-made Nazis have already come for the judges, the lawyers and the media. A scary realisation that people must stand up and speak for themselves as there is no one left to speak for them.
What separates the civil from the uncivil society of Pakistan? One simplistic understanding would be that anyone who directly or indirectly was a party to the mutilation of the Constitution and launch of the draconian PCO, who took oath as a PCO judge, cut power deals with the US, tried to seek indemnity against past crimes, supported the military regime, accepted a position under this unconstitutional arrangement or granted legitimacy to these actions by taking part in elections is a part of the Uncivil Society. All others may prima facie be assumed to be part of the civil society.
One does not, however, become a part of the civil society by merely suffering in silence. Even a weekend vigil or periodic public protests are not good enough. A society is called civil when its members individually and collectively follow ethical principles and practices in their working lives.
They relate their work to larger social and political causes. They support ethical and principled stands. They protest peacefully and lawfully against tyranny and injustice.
They are willing to contribute their time, effort, money or expertise for a cause or community. They are willing to rise above their party positions and cushy jobs, to raise their voice when the rulers indulge in unethical practices, and finally they care and work for the betterment of a larger society instead of a privileged few. While it may still be many miles to the land of the civil society, there are clear signs and symptoms that people in Pakistan are already taking the most difficult first steps. May 2008 be the year of the civil society”.
I think there should be some rules and “Manners” or I shoud say “Adaab” of posting things in the blog.
One of my friends Pakistani blog site Pakistaniat.com where they are most sensitive of putting a post titled which will hurt indians.
One their site, there is a yearly independence celebration post for indians as well check those out.
http://pakistaniat.com/?s=independence+day+india
I think the title mentioned would hurt Pakistanis more and more and most to those who want to come to your site and want to engage in a positive dialogue.
If you are saying that we are countrymen of a “Najas” or “Maaleech” country then there is no point to talk to a person from Najas country.
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I agree that this is not the time to be putting down Pakistan, even if it is factual and not based on malice. Therefore, the author should consider changing the title of the article.
Sharique,
I think you have gone overboard with the use of the word Najis (Not in good taste). The word could have been reserved for their military/jihadi gang who call the shots.
Shahran,
Sorry for any hurt caused by that statement. I’m sure Sharique didn’t mean it that way.
Sharique,
I think Shahran is hurt by the title and this view can be shared by many pakistanis. Let us show that we stand with our fellow pakistanis in time of trouble and that we don’t want to put them down. Again Shahran, sharique is commenting on the current state of Pakistan and not to Pakistan as a country.
Shahran,
Read the link you provided (#22). Was very touched to read the post by Owais Mughal and Adil Najam. Heartfelt thanks!
This is a shocking incident, and I hope that Pakistanis are able to recover from this setback and continue on their path to peace and democracy.
While I can understand Sharique’s strong reaction, I am of the opinion that this is not the appropriate time or the moment to use such strong words in reference to Pakistan.
Sharique:
Please consider revising the title. We should give them the same respect that we expect from them. In any case, it is not the right time to use harsh words.
The thread is appropriately titled.
Thank you so much for revising the title.
Inna lillahi wa Inna ilayhi Rajioon.