Bob Collins
How could it have ended any other way?
Since Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan months ago, one had the sense that her death was imminent. That’s either a statement on Pakistan or on our inability to be surprised by political assasinations.
Here’s a look at Pakistan-themed blogs and news sources online and their reaction:
Metroblogging Lahore (Pakistan)
I personally have never supported Ms Benazir and her party (the PPP). But this, by all means, goes beyond the immediate politics of pretty much everything. It goes without saying that no one, and I mean no one — even for a moment — deserves to go this way, to die in such an unnatural manner and for such obnoxiously stupid reasons. Fate, as we already should know, is not without a sense of irony; Benazir has died (primarily) due to gunfire wounds while leaving a political gathering at Liaquat Gardens; Liaquat Gardens is not only named after, but is also the same place where the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Khan Liaquat Ali Khan was murdered with a bullet.
A commenter on Sepia Mutiny:
Will America ever learn its lesson…pumping billions in weapons and “anti-terrorism” funds into a savage dictatorship which has no clue nor intent to become a democracy. US foreign policy hypocrisy experiences a new low…
On the blog, All Things Pakistan
Unfortunately, she knew the danger and she was warned many times but in love of power and adamant of doing public rallies, this unfortunate thing was waiting to happen. Here is a warning to her that was coming before she even entered Pakistan.
At chowk.com (takes awhile to load):
Benazir will haunt the Pakistani politicians and politics, for good or bad, for quite some time. Her departure has left a big void in Pakistani politics and is sure to affect what is destined to happen in the near future.
She was said to be the second most influential woman in politics in the world after Hillary Clinton.
A comment on Metroblogging Islamabad:
The first thing that went through my mind was on lines “sau bars ka samaan aur pal kee khabar nahain”…All 60 billion she stole from poor public of Pakistan, denying then education and health and what not, she is not going to use them after all. gunah e bay lazat. Wonder if her amnesty by Musharaf will extend to hereafter…hope not.
The bloggers from Pakistan “fly below the government radar,” according to an article in Wired earlier this year.
For additional information, listen to this morning’s MPR Midmorning, which featured Sumit Ganguly, professor of political science and Director of Research at the Center for American and Global Security at Indiana University and Fasi Zaka, a radio and television host in Pakistan.
(Photo: A Pakistani supporter of former premier Benazir Bhutto comforts a colleague after the suicide attack. Aamir Quereshi/AFP/Getty Images)
