Pakistan: Reactions to Bhutto’s Death

Benazir Bhutto's death has come as a shock to many of the bloggers writing from and about Pakistan. While Bhutto's politics may be controversial, her assasinaton comes at a time when it was hoped that Pakistan could overcome the years of lapse of democracy.

At Metroblogging Islamabad, the post provokes some comments - from disbelief, to worry about the impending elections.

This is a sad day for Pakistan. Bhutto was not perfect, but at least she was for a democratic process. Democracy once again dies with her. Our condolences to the people of Pakistan from Metroblogging Mumbai.

Abu Muqawam states that while it is one thing to mourn the death of Benazir Bhutto, it is important to keep in mind the nature of her politics.

The folks on NBC, though, are making it sound as if Bhutto was some brave liberal alternative to the Musharraf regime, swallowing hook, line, and sinker this narrative that Benazir Bhutto was some kind of Pakistani Aung San Suu Kyi. Okay, folks, we all know she was eloquent, went to Harvard and Oxford and was a darling of the English-language media. But she was arguably the most corrupt woman in the history of South Asia.

While some bloggers expressing reservations about Benazir Bhutto being good for Pakistan, at All Things Pakistan, Adil Nijam writes that at this moment, the event is tragic at a very human level.

At a human level this is a tragedy like no other. Only a few days ago I was mentioning to someone that the single most tragic person in all of Pakistan - maybe all the world - is Nusrat Bhutto. Benazir’s mother. Think about it. Her husband, killed. One son poisoned. Another son assasinated. One daughter dead possibly of drug overdose. Another daughter rises to be Prime Minister twice, but jailed, exiled, and finally gunned down.

Today, in shock, I can think only of Benazir Bhutto the human being. Tomorrow, maybe, I will think of politics.

Chapati Mystery writes

In the nation whose history is dotted by military coups, assassinations and hangings of public figures, this is surely the bloodiest stain. She titled her autobiography, the Daughter of Destiny - but surely she deserved a fate other than the destiny of her father and Liaqut Ali Khan. It is truly a tragedy and a revelation of the chaos gripping the nation.

Pakistan Policy Blog provides details of how Bhutto was assassinated and some details on others who are critically injured. “The chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party was leaving Liaquat Park in Rawalpindi, where she was addressing a party rally, when an assassin fired 3-5 shots at her, one of which struck her in the neck. The assassin then blew himself up. Rehman Malik, Bhutto’s chief security adviser and Naheed Khan, a close Bhutto friend are critically injured. Over thirty others have been killed.”

As bloggers reflect on this tragedy, there are those who express worry that this could lead to violence and protests on the streets. Metroblogging Karachi reports that offices are being closed and people are rushing back home. A commenter states that gunfire can be heard outside. The Pakistani Spectator writes “In other areas of Rawalpindi like Faizabad, Saddar and Murree Road, angry crowd is burning shops and vehicles and shouting slogans against the terrorists.”

Popularity: 3% [?]

Although I know little first h and of the Pakistani politics, it is a tragedy that anyone thinks the answer is to destroy the opponent. Real democracy implies that differences of view are dealt with non-violently. When will mankind learn this simple truth?

Assassinations are never the answer. Democracy has been set back in Pakistan.
Pakistan will remain a dictatorship it seems.

I don’t condone the assassination of this lady, however based on her passed, I certainly wouldn’t want her to head my country. The sad part about the politics is that it is a corrupt system almost anywhere in the world. Would she get the same type press if she wasn’t a Harvard graduate and spoke English so well?

We have our own problems to deal with and before we start throwing stones at other soverign nations leaders, we need to look at our own. In my opinion, it is rare to see our own politicians speaking out against corruption in government,let alone doing anything about it.

Murder is never the way of democracy. Bhutto’s brutal death points a finger at fundamentalism, not only in Islam. America with it’s practice of torture shares blame along with the Pakistani head of state. Bush with his religious bigotry and fundamentalist approach to world politics,troops ready to murder and commit shame full acts in the name of America. Bush’s religious adviser Ted Haggard, darling of the evangelicals, preacher of bigotry, wound up in a sex scandal. Then his church was the object of attack by a person who had been brain washed by people seeking to change his sexuality to the fundamentalist
standard.
Ms. Bhutto’s politics or honesty are not on trial here. Bigotry is. Islam permits violence against women as does primitive Christianity.