Friday, January 11, 2008

The "Bhutto" legacy


I was quite away from the 'blogosphere' thanks to my commitments from the professional front.

But I am back, as my instincts drove me for scribbling something, after all so much has happened in the world over the past few months.

The assassination of former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto may have paved way for a larger debate on democracy being thrashed by anti-humane elements , but it was so chaotic to know who killed Mrs Bhutto and perhaps the resounding question 'why'.

While forensic experts, intelligence and many 'others' are wondering why and how the assassination happened, a majority of them are worried simply about the aftermath. It has even gone to that extent that the history of Pakistan may very well demarcated as pre-Musharraf period and the post-Musharraf period.

The 'Bhutto' family is often compared to the 'Gandhi' family perhaps not for their maverick support to democracy , but for the merciless killing of their members for which the whole of their respective nations grieved.

Benazir though inherited the political qualities from her slain father Zulfiqar ali bhutto, remained mostly a defiant strong leader of the masses which also showed that she is a self made leader. When she became the prime minister of Pakistan she was just 26 years of age, a rare case in World political history.

She is known to have had a prolonged battle with army generals who had taken the nation by ransom right from her childhood. Hence she was always forced to go on exile whenever the nation's democracy was at stake.

The assassinations of great leaders have always left behind uncertainty and Bhutto was no different, her people wondering whom to pass the mantle to.

Bilawal Bhutto may have been just 19 years when he became the official successor of her mother, one can only hope that there is no more bloodshed and the history of democratic leaders speak only about their highs and the lows and not their tragic ends.

Thanks for reading !