| January 03, 2008 | Thursday | Zilhaj 23, 1428 |
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Inquiry into Benazir’s murder
An inspiration to women
National cohesion
Severe punishments
Superhighway:lack of maintenance
Senseless violence
PML-Q
Rush to judgment
The unique Benazir
Why doesn’t the government realise that in such critical matters, public opinion once formed can be near to impossible to change? Faced with a serious trust deficit, the government’s position was uphill to say the least to convince its own population that Ms Bhutto did not suffer any bullet injuries – especially given the frantic and rather over-eager manner in which the interior ministry spokesman delivered the ‘Lever Theory’. It didn’t help the government’s credibility when the spokesman threw in the taped conversation between the planners and executors of the assassination literally 48 hours after the assassination.
Readers are requested to restrict their comments to a maximum of 400 words. We reserve the right to edit letters for reasons of clarity and space. Letters, including those by e-mail, should carry the complete postal address of the sender. The views expressed in these columns do not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper.—Editor
DECEMBER 27 will be recorded as one of the tragic days in the history of Pakistan when a Pakistani leader of international stature was cold bloodedly murdered in public by so-called suicide bombers in a city where the headquarters of the Army, a powerful political party of Pakistan, is located.
As an observer of this event and a concerned citizen of Pakistan, I want to raise a few questions for our reflections through these columns:
-- How can an ordinary citizen feel safe if a leader of international standing can be killed in this cold-blooded way? This brings one to the question of existential security of an ordinary person. I believe that Pakistan is a sum total of all its inhabitants, and if its inhabitants can feel unsafe and insecure, then the whole nation can feel insecure. This leads to the assumption that the establishment, whether civil or military, or the state as a whole has failed to provide security to the common man. Then tall claims of saving the nation or saving Pakistan can appear to be a lie. I believe that this lie about ‘saving the nation’ or ‘saving Pakistan’ is employed by the powerful to protect their interests instead of protecting the interest of the common people.
-- Social justice demands fair investigation into this murder. Why has a group of representatives of the state started giving misinformation about the murder without even having the courage to accept their mistakes of providing inadequate security to Benazir Bhutto? As a researcher, one can know that establishing facts require an objective and patient investigation and inquiry.
Why has an impartial and international inquiry not been initiated to uncover the killers who are involved in this murder? The inappropriate handling of the reportage by the state suggests that state representatives think that people of Pakistan are fool and they can be fed with the pack of lies. Perhaps the state might have forgotten that people of Pakistan are also growing as part of the globalisation processes in the world where ideas and images moves quickly than anyone can imagine.
-- As it is practised in many countries, the leadership who are unable to protect the interests of the common people they normally pass on the reins of power to representatives of the people through an election. Why are the present Pakistani rulers, who have failed to protect the interests of the common people, hesitant about relinquishing their powers to legitimate leaders of the people?
I trust we would get an adequate response to these questions from those who are so-called protectors of Pakistan.
DR SIKUNDER ALI BABER
Karachi
VARIOUS political leaders in Pakistan have expressed concern that the government cannot be trusted with about holding an impartial inquiry into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and have demanded that the inquiry be conducted by an international body.
They have pointed to the Hariri Commission as a model for conducting such an investigation. It may be instructive for public to know why the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri was investigated by the UN.
The first call for an international investigation of Mr Hariri’s death originated, almost immediately upon his death, from the US State Department and was echoed by mostly European countries and some of the Lebanese politicians. It had very little to do with uncovering the truth.
The US saw it as an opportunity to implicate Syria, force it to withdraw its solders from Lebanon, and end Syrian influence in Lebanese politics. Some would go even further and suggest the ultimate goal was to bring to power those political leaders in Lebanon who could be expected to be friendly towards Israel. Thus the commission included individuals who could be expected to view the matter as an exercise to uncover Syrian hand in Mr Hriri’s death rather than uncovering the truth.
While the Hariri Commission has yet to determine who killed Mr Hariri, it has already achieved the objective of removing Syrian troops from Lebanon and reducing its influence in Lebanese politics. Bringing to end Syrian influence in Lebanese politics may not be a bad thing, but the point is that the Hariri Commission is no model for holding truly transparent and impartial investigations.
Clearly some people would not trust any report commissioned by the government of Pakistan because it would be seen as bias in favour of the government.
But people should also understand any UN-appointed commissions would also not be composed of truly impartial individuals. To be a member of a UN commission, its members would either be appointed by the major powers on the UN Security Council or at the very least be acceptable to them.
To say the obvious, the criteria for being acceptable to these major powers would not necessarily be their impartiality, rather individuals who could also be useful to shape geopolitical events to these powers advantage.
If people think there’s not enough foreign interference and influence in Pakistan, and would like to see a bit more of it, then it may be an interesting adventure to undertake as long they don’t really care about the consequences.
IQBAL HUSSAIN
Toronto, Canada
Ask any American living in the 1960s and they’ll tell you they remember exactly how they felt when they heard of President Kennedy’s assassination. Ask any Panamanian and they’ll tell you exactly what they were doing when President Torres was assassinated. Ask any Pakistani, and they’ll illustrate the exact moment when they heard of the sad demise of our former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
I grew up looking up to Ms Bhutto as a role model for women in Pakistan. I fell in love with her as she was elected Pakistan’s first female prime minster. And in all honesty, I was devastated to learn about her corruption charges. But this letter isn’t to discuss her weaknesses, be they political or personal. Indeed should you agree with her policies or not, there is one fact no one can deny. Benazir Bhutto was perhaps the most influential and positive role model for women in South Asia in particular, and the modern Muslim world as a whole.
As I completed my MA in Economics from Peshawar University in 2001, I came across the opportunity of a lifetime. The Benazir Bhutto Scholarship offered one Pakistani female a full tuition-paid education for an MS at London Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.
By the Grace of Allah, I was the first to win this prestigious scholarship for my essay on ‘The Role of Pakistani Women in the 21st Century’. Since then, I completed my master’s in International Economics from London Metropolitan University. Currently, I am completing my PhD in South Asian economics at the University of Wales. Indeed, if I were to re-write that essay, Benazir Bhutto would be the icon and masterpiece on whom the essay would be based.
I thank Ms Bhutto for allowing this Pakistani-born and bred girl to have a chance for a better life. She inspired me to pursue my education to a level I could not have dreamed. However, I am just one small example. Benazir Bhutto inspired and will continue to inspire countless upon countless Pakistani and Muslim women all over the world. Indeed, it is a shame that we could not protect this precious, priceless crystal of Pakistan.
It was exactly 6.18pm on Dec 27. I was in the bazaar with my mother and husband purchasing a book. My mobile beeped with a text message from a close friend who lives in Rawalpindi. She and I shared the same inspiration from Ms Bhutto. “BB is critically injured,” the text read. I ran into the nearest shop. There, the store owner already had the television turned on. Horrifying words ran across the screen: “Benazir Bhutto passes away.”
I conclude by imploring all Pakistanis to remember that the future of Pakistan lies in our own hands. Benazir Bhutto was an inspiration to Pakistani people. She will be missed dearly and will always be remembered in our hearts. May Allah bless her.
AYESHA NOOR
London
THE shameful and cowardly act committed by an assailant on the life of Benazir Bhutto will be mourned by the nation at large.
A charismatic leader, popular in all the four provinces of Pakistan, who came here to instil the soul of democracy in the nation has been consigned to eternal rest. A gory sight was witnessed at the burial ground. A political void created by her death would be difficult to replenish shortly.
Despite human weaknesses and shortcomings in almost all our political leaders, Ms Bhutto included, yet she has emerged as a national hero and the entire country is reverberating.
One wonders who the beneficiaries by her elimination are. It is generally demanded that an independent investigation should be held by the former judges of superior courts in conjunction with foreign experts to determine who did engineer this gruesome act and bring them to justice.
In the past many investigations were held by the governments but none were made known or concluded.
One may refer to the murder of prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan during the rule of governor-general Ghulam Mohammad.
I may rightly recall that Dawn at that time published an obscure picture of a probable person who might have provoked this catastrophe. In retribution Dawn was castigated and its copies were set ablaze at public places. The there was the controversial judicial murder of prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto at the behest of some powers.
Then came the air crash that killed Gen Ziaul Haq -- at whose behest is not known till now?
Therefore, it is believed in many quarters that investigations carried out by the governments have no credence and people would not be resilient to it.
Now national cohesion is the need of the hour for furthering the democratic process as despite her absence Ms Bhutto will still remain the torch-bearer of democracy.
SAIFUDDIN E. CONTRACTOR
Karachi
Thank you very much for a very well written editorial ‘Violent shock to economy’ (Jan 1).
I may add that the law enforcement and security alone cannot deliver the results-it is just not possible. What we need is severe punishment to those who contributed to this carnage, a thorough inquiry to understand how and who coordinated this carnage across the country; and a warning to political parties and their supporters; and a set of clear laws designed to protect the nation from such criminals.
We look towards the West for guidance on democracy; it may not be a bad idea to look towards the West for guidance on punishing those that destroy government and private property.
AMJAD WYNE
Washington DC
I HAVE been using the Superhighway, off and on, while travelling to and from Karachi since the day it was inaugurated by Gen Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan, then president of Pakistan, in 1969. However, while travelling on this road I have not found a single moment without any anxiety: initially it was the frequent accidents due to overspeeding and now on account of lack of proper maintenance which claimed numerous precious lives. The road has, therefore, become a synonym of ‘frightening highway’.
It was in the mid-sixties that the government envisaged 138-kilometre-long expressway, initially connecting the bustling port city of Karachi with another big city of the country, i.e. Hyderabad. The contract of this giant project, one of its own kind, was awarded to an Italian firm which completed its construction in 1969: a record time in those days. Because of the excellent workmanship introduced in the country for the first time, this road was very rightly named ‘Superhighway’.
In the 1980s, keeping in view the unexpected increase in transport (railway being the cheapest mode of transportation was sabotaged deliberately which shifted the burden on to the roads), a dual carriage was also constructed by local contractors to lessen the burden on the original single lane; albeit of much inferior quality.
With the induction of such type of freeway which, on the one hand, reduced not only a distance of 25 miles between Hyderabad and Karachi and with increased driving speed limit, but also opened new vistas for the extremely backward region of more than 100 miles hitherto a rugged hilly terrain stretching between the two cities. The economic potential of the region is now being exploited, though not fully due to law and order problem, by establishing the ‘Nooriabad Industrial Area’, one of the largest industrial estates in Asia.
This dual-carriage road has gone through vicissitudes: changing control between the provincial and the federal government. Nowadays it is taken over by the National Highway Authority (NHA), an organisation of the federal government.
Initially when the NHA took over possession, the maintenance was started at a massive scale and became a regular feature. However, after renovating a large portion of one side of the road (left while travelling towards Hyderabad), maintenance work has been completely abandoned.
As a result of this criminal neglect, not only the entire road (left while coming to Karachi) has become extremely bumpy, at various places some large potholes have developed which appear so suddenly, sometimes causing severe damage to vehicles and at times causing fatal accidents.
This year the NHA has inaugurated M9 (for upgrading the road).The plan was originally conceived by Nawaz Sharif in his first term. How long will it take to expand the facility into M9 is yet to be seen, as even groundwork has not been started by now.
However, in my opinion, more important is the regular maintenance of existing lanes, as the safety and security of commuters travelling on the road is of foremost importance. The NHA authorities should plan for repair of the dilapidated lane without delay.
DR KAZI KHADIM HUSSAIN
Hyderabad
THE entire nation is mourning the demise of Ms Bhutto. She was brutally killed and yet again the government is unable to find who the murderer was.
A lot of other people also died along with Ms Bhutto, but nobody seems to care about them. The government has said that it will compensate the families of those who lost their lives, but this never happens. It is the lower class that suffers. Paying compensation to their families is not equivalent to the loss of their loved ones. If in the first place, tight security would have been provided, this wouldn’t have happened. But the government does not seem to understand.
Karachi, known as the city of lights, was submerged in darkness and is only inching back to normalcy. The riots that have surged all over the city in the past few days have caused huge losses to the citizens of Karachi. Almost 1,000 cars have been burnt down, railway stations, engines and tracks have been destroyed, petrol pumps and all markets shut down for several days, many offices and banks have been burnt to ashes and worst of all many lives have been lost. Why is this so? This is just increasing the misery of the people and the current situation.
It is my humble request to please stand united in this time of crisis. Please do not panic people by spreading senseless rumors. May Allah give us strength to handle this critical situation and courage to the family members of those who have faced tragedies and suffered.
ZOYA ALTAF
Karachi
The PML(Q)’s manifesto has come up with a programme based on five words beginning with the letter ‘D,’ viz. Development, Devolution, Democracy, Diversity and Defence. They should also have included ‘Disappearances,’ ‘Dearness’ (of foodstuffs) and ‘Deaths” (due to suicides caused by poverty and throats slit by strings of kites flown as a result of the authorities’ defiance of the then CJP’s ban on flying kites).
S. MUHAMMAD
Karachi
So where does this leave the government? As it should be well accustomed to by now, it leaves it discredited domestically and internationally (Hillary Clinton went so far to ask Gen Musharraf to determine if the attack was indeed the work of Al Qaeda or ‘from within’), it leaves it encumbered with salvaging its adopted stands and statements rather than focusing on the investigation, and it leaves it with the very dangerous charge, albeit veiled at this time, of somehow being complicit in the assassination.
Let’s stop with the “jo ho ga deekhee jai ge” philosophy of running our state affairs.
A.A. AHMAD
Lahore
BENAZIR Bhutto was not only peerless as suggested by her name, she acquired greatness by her own efforts.
She proved her uniqueness by her deeds through the sterling qualities of perseverance, penchant for democracy and patriotism. Her journey to another celestial domain is no less spectacular than the panoramic ‘pinky’ sunset caused by the descent of the great star that sparkles and glitters the pitched dark nights.
The statement that she made during the press conference on Oct 19 that “it was an attack on democracy and the very unity and integrity of Pakistan” will reverberate ad infinitum with more vigour after her flight to eternity.
Altaf Hussain, founder leader of the MQM, was more than justified when he said: “She has been martyred, not killed. She is a ‘shaheed’ and will live amongst the mortals hereafter”. May Allah bless the bereaved family with solace.
SYED SARDAR AHMAD
Karachi
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