The massacre in Karachi had been widely
predicted. Benazir Bhutto herself has stated that
she was aware of the dangers. The government
pleaded with her to delay her return. Jihadi
leaders, angered by her slavish support of US
foreign policy, had publicly threatened to kill
her. She survived but a few hundred people have
been killed without reason. Her husband, who
decided not to accompany her, has accused
Pakistani intelligence of complicity in the
attacks. Benazir Bhutto herself has preferred to
attack the followers of a dead military dictator.
Once it had become obvious that something was
being planned, she would have been better advised
to make a quiet return, but she insisted on a
show of strength. The planning had been going on
for over a month. The 130,000 people who were
brought to welcome her in trucks and buses from
allover the province (how many of them were paid
is still not clear). In addition there were
20,000 police and paramilitary personnel for her
protection. All to no avail. It ended in a
bloodbath, remind us once again of the volatile
nature of politics in Pakistan.
More trouble lies ahead. Benazir may be the
preferred politician of Washington and the EU,
but the Supreme Court is considering five
separate petitions to reject the Ordnance that
pardons corrupt politicians. Were the court to
accept these petitions, Ms Bhutto would have to
serve time in prison. This would not displease
the government. They would pretend to bow before
the dictates of justice.
The tragedy of Pakistan is that the People’s
Party of Bhutto and its rivals offer no real
alternatives to the policies currently being
pursued. The State Department notion of Bhutto
perched on Musharraf’s shoulder parrotting
pro-Washington homilies was always ridiculous.
Now there are doubts as to whether she will even
reach the General’s shoulder.