The Bigger B

It was long due. I doubt how many people were actually sent into a state of shock at the assassination of the president of the PPP ( pakistan’s people’s party) Benazir Bhutto. Most would have seen it coming… The state of turmoil in Pakistan has just worsened after yesterday and a tragedy it is for Pakistan for Musharraf is emerging as the scapegoat in the entire drama.

Without intending any insult to the memory of the lady who lies buried at Larkhana sahib from today, my conviction stands stronger today than yesterday that Musharraf is the best thing that ever happened to Pakistan and democracy will be the worst thing that can happen thereto, very contrary to the lady’s beliefs. Musharraf is as die hard a nationalist as they come and the only non corrupt leader to have lead the country since its notorious inception in 1947. The only blemish on that man’s record from a pakistani’s point of view is the manner in which he usurped power. Ignoring that one fact, he has been as able an administrator as that country can afford and has protected it like a father. He might not have been best friends with his counterparts in India and probably even extended gestures thereto only in perfunctory terms, but his very presence at the head office of our most precariously poised neighbour was a boon in disguise for India, came though it did with its price.

And all the propaganda lately surrounding the prospective elections, whenever they may now take place, is leading to an ill advised advocacy of the failed western ideals of democracy in a place where they are extraordinarily misfit.

Pakistan shares its borders with Afghanistan and the scale at which arms are treated in that goner of a country coupled with ‘people’s rule’ in the former would mean a terrorist attack every second day in Pakistan and every 3rd day in India. And things are not going to stabilize for a long time now. Meanwhile Pakistan will remain caught in the quagmire and the question resonating since yesterday “ what's next for pakistan?” is something neither a nobody nor a somebody can predict with any certainty.
In the not too far future, however, this is what I predict:
1) Musharraf will be assassinated in the next 2 years for he has become too much of a liability on America and on his own people.
2) Imran khan will emerge as the new leader of the country probably heading the country 5-6 years down the line.
3) India will, albeit too late, realise its responsibility towards its neighbour and extend its support as Big Bro and a mitigation of the tensions between the siblings will ensue.
4) The real rationale behind Al Qaeda’s claim of bibi’s assassination will emerge to replace the ‘only a fool would believe it’ reason given by the organization-‘because she was a very close friend of America’!.
5) The people of Pakistan will get some sense into their heads and then maybe they could deserve a democractic government.

Yesterday, really, was just a humbling start to a long struggle. May Allah give them the strength. Amen.