My article published in the news few days after the shahadat of Benazir Bhutto I wonder when the Allah almighty was scripting the destiny of Pakistan the task was given to Shakespeare. The sad demise of Benazir Bhutto forced me to change my opinion because even Shakespeare would not have imagined such a tragic end to such an illustrious politi- cal career. When her father was executed by the establishment of Pakistan she was a young girl with no political ambitions. Circumstances forced her to assume the charge of the largest political party of this hapless country having a scanty democratic record. She was subjected to ultimate forms of repression, persecution and physical and mental torture. Yet she didnt bow before the establishment like her brave father. Her party was disintegrated and her uncles talented or otherwise shook hands with the establish- ment and tried to hijack the party. Nevertheless the young girl was intelligent enough not only to save the party from the pack of hyenas, but within a decade she turned the party in to a formidable political force. Had the establishment not conspired again in 1988, PPP would have swept the elections. Imagine a feudal, stagnant, illiter- ate and fragmented society like Pakistan and imagine a woman taking charge of the affairs of this nation. She was the bravest, a 21st century Joan of Arc, she was a revolutionary. In a country where women are deprived of fundamental rights and are barred from vot- ing, she swam against the tide and was elected to the top office twice and she was almost there for the third time before she was eliminated. When Z.A.Bhutto was exe- cuted people thought its a great tragedy that the most popular leader of the country was killed in a fake judicial encounter. I honestly believe that tragedy was nothing in compari- son to the killing to Benazir. Bhutto chal- lenged establishment only once and got him- self hanged, Benazir locked horns with establishment for thirty long years and emerged victorious on a number of occa- sions. She was truly a champion. She was the only hope we had and with her all the aspirations and ambitions of Pakistan in gen- eral and the democratic forces of the country in particular have vanished in thin air. I was arguing with my friends that this election will be the last opportunity for PPP to exploit the legacy of Z.A. Bhutto, and the party must deliver now otherwise it will be reduced to a regional party. Now the tables have turned, even after thirty years of indoctrination estab- lishment despite all out efforts could not oblit- erate the legacy of Z.A. Bhutto, they are faced with the legacy of Benazir Bhutto at this moment. My feeling is that the legacy of Benazir is going to haunt them for many more years. I saw some pseudo intellectuals dis- cussing the future of PPP, dont worry about the future of PPP folks, the real cause of concern is the future of Pakistan. I remember when Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated people thought that the Nehru era has come to an end. Sonia emerged and now Congress is in power again. Her circumstances were far more difficult than they are for the leadership of PPP. I am sure the party will survive; it will survive for the good of this country. What is at stake here is the integrity of this country. The affairs of our country are managed with sheer recklessness. The issues of judiciary, tribal areas, Lal Masjid, Swat are handled with utter thoughtlessness. At present the only course of action when faced with a prob- lem is to eliminate it. I think its time to bid adieu, and leave the bloody civilians to their vices and virtues. A lot of things will be said in coming days, reactions will be expressed, and emotions will be shown, but nothing will bring back the Pinky of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and the Behan of all the Pakistanis. Pakistans history is full of tragedies, from the death of Quaid-e- Azam to the fall of East Pakistan. From the hanging of Z.A. Bhutto to the air crash of Zia ul Haq, may it be the repeated army interven- tions or persistent failures of civilian Governments, one after the other the tragedies kept on following each other with hardly any moment of respite. Nonetheless the sad demise of Benazir Bhutto is the mother of all tragedies.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 13:43:32 +0000
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