Ms. Bhutto had just finished speaking at a political rally before thousands of her supporters. Her return to Pakistan in October was to resume her political career. Reports say shots were fired, first striking her, before the suicide bomber struck killing at least twenty others. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president, recently lifted martial rule, but is known to have antipathy towards former Prime Minister Bhutto, 54, who made no secret of her continuing political ambitions. She has two daughters and one son primarily still living in Dubai. She was 35 when first elected in a secular Pakistan.
Benazir Bhutto was an ally of the United States and familiar with western policies having graduated from Harvard and Oxford. Her father was assassinated (hanged) in Pakistan in the 1970's by a general who later died in a mysterious plane crash,. She spoke to the risks of her life in prior interviews. She was accused of corruption before being exiled from a coup, leading to another coup orchestrated by the current Pakistani president, Pervez Musharraf, then ruler of the powerful Pakistani military affiliated with its Saudi sponsored intelligence forces, ISI.Politics in Pakistan imperil the rule of law with Musharraf previously declaring martial law, stacking Pakistan's Supreme Court and at first disallowing the return of Nawaz Sharif from exile. Musharraf recently stepped down as the head of the military in accordance with negotiations before the country voted in election. This is also deadly blow to the relationship between Pakistan and the US as the Bush administration walks a fine line knowing Pakistan has nuclear weapons. There will be many questions regarding security, motives and Pakistan's future without Benazir Bhutto.
1 comment:
Very, very sad. I could only imagine the havoc this will cause.
Post a Comment