Brave Benazir outwitted her adversaries
Thursday, 3 January 2008
Amin Ahmed Chowdhury
IN the afternoon of December 27, 07 Mohatarama Benazir Bhutto, was standing on a jeep through its open roof after a party rally in Rawalpindi. She was waving at the crowds. The jeep was moving very slowly. Right at that moment from the rear of her jeep at a very close range, not even two yards from Benazir, two hands with pistols appeared and, as a video clipping showed, started shooting at Benazir hitting her at the neck and chest. Almost instantaneously she was killed and hurriedly buried at her home graveyard in Larkana beside her father's grave. The funeral was completed apparently with a military precision, yet it seems that whosoever hatched the plot had executed it very poorly almost like a novice.
How an outsider, if at all (may be two or more men), could break inner cordon security barricade and ride on the bumper with gun and fired at Benazir. If he/they tried to force their way up then why on duty security elements swung into action then and there?
Over and above the uncalled for explanation of describing the cause of Benazir's death by the Interior Ministry put Pakistan Government into an awkward situation from where hardly they would be able to get rid of the stigma of bearing the responsibility of at least allowing or remaining unmindful in providing adequate protection to Benazir, a former prime minister of Pakistan.
The western journalist, an eyewitness, very clearly and categorically said that he heard three gunshots followed by bomb blast. The available video clipping, which was taken during those tragic moments of Benazir's life, faintly but clearly showed that two hands appeared with pistols aiming at Benazir from not even from a distance of 2 yards, just adjacent to the security guard standing on the bumper of the jeep carrying Benazir. He immediately started firing at Benazir. That means assassins were in and around Benazir from the moment she stepped out to get into that ill-fated jeep. After that no FBI or international inquiry team is required to investigate who killed Benazir, but one required prudent and courageous inquiry team to find out who hatched the plot of killing Benazir. And Benazir already named the likely killers and squarely blamed Gen. Mosharraf for not providing adequate security to which she was entitled.
Obviously Al Quaeda has hardly any interest in killing Benazir. After all, Benazir did not raid Red Mosque killing hundreds of Al Quaeda elements. In retaliation, most likely Al Quaeda would love to take on Gen. Mosharraf or commanders, who led the operations, rather than Benazir, a relatively soft target. Even an elected Benazir after assuming power, would not have been able to undertake such a hazardous military operation, as most likely the Army would not like to take such enormous risk for Benazir, but for Mosharraf or for any other military General/ commander only.
It seems Gen Mosharraf has outlived his utility both for the Pakistan Army and his mentor. Due to Kargil operation Gen. Mosharraf was extremely popular among troops and young officers of Pak Army. Besides, the then Prime Minister Newaz Sharif maltreated the then Chief of Army Staff Gen. Mosharraf, which compelled Gen. Mosharraf, of course, with the active support of almost entire Army, to take over country's administration. Nothing succeeds like success. But since then, lots of water flowed down the Indus River and Mosharraf finds it difficult to get the old magic touch. Finally, he thought, with Benazir, might be with or without Newaz Sharif, on his side, he would be able to make an honourable exit plan. But that too washed away. Obviously his days are numbered.
Army will keep Gen. Mosharraf as long incoming military elites needs the services of Gen. Mosharraf, particularly to tide over present crisis and clearing their accumulated dirty linen keeping the gun squarely on his shoulder.
Immediately after the firing, critically injured Benazir was rushed to the nearby hospital, perhaps by then she was already dead. Doctors tried their level best to make her respiratory system functioning as quickly as possible but in vain. Within an hour, the attending doctor declared her dead. Doctor diagnosed the cause of her death, certifying that Benazir died of gunshot injury at the neck damaging her spinal cord and another bullet pierced through her chest causing almost instantaneous death.
Over 24 hours after the doctor's declaration, the melodrama started duly orchestrated by the Interior Ministry of Pakistan. The Interior Ministry presented their version of probable causes of death of Benazir, saying that Benazir died of head injury, which she suffered when she bumped her head into jeep. Although initially it was told that she died of bomb blast/ splinter, or even a picture was painted that a suicidal squad in a motor cycle bumped into the jeep carrying Benazir, himself blown off, killing Benazir. Earlier on, another conflicting statement was made that a policeman fired at Benazir and killed her.
Interior Ministry then presented a recorded tape conversation connecting the killing of Benazir to Al Quaeda extremist group. Conversation seems to be made in a most casual manner. No killer would like to identify himself or an individual, instead of an organization if at all and above all identifying his own location, seems to be ridiculous.
What Interior Ministry wanted to prove or project is not very clear. Apparently none of them was found in and around the place of incident during or immediately after the firing took place, may be they were present in disguise. The Internal Ministry of Pakistan could not protect Benazir, nor the security guard standing on the bumper of the ill-fated jeep could catch hold of or made any attempt to chase him/them or to arrest him/them, but immediately after the incident, efficient Interior Ministry could procure tape conversation, which is likely to complicate the issue in question.
If Interior Ministry knew or came to know where assassins were and why did they not rush then and there and chase them and hunt them down? Why did they not visit the place of occurrence or dying Benazir at the hospital? Because they were busy taping the Tel/M conversation so that they could prove that it was Al Quaeda who did it. Which means they were suffering from guilt or for one reason or other they were afraid and out of fear they wanted to put the blame on Al Quaeda, which is as convenient for Pakistani ruling junta as for western world. Otherwise, when the doctor already certified the cause of death, their explanation of cause of death of Benazir was uncalled for, and raised so many unanswered questions. No wonder, since then, many observant minds started raising their eye brows. Clearly Interior Ministry, reasons best known to them, wants to cover up the incident. But why? And whom do they want to protect from being detected and again why? One should not forget that it is the same area where in 1951, at the behest of the Army Head quarters just a stone's throw away that the first Prime minister of Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan got killed and immediately the alleged killer was also killed. No wonder an inquiry team was put into action, yet on inquiry, like Kennedy assassination nothing could be found till today.
When Liaquat Ali was assassinated, the then Commander in Chief of Pak Army, Gen. Ayub Khan was in USA, while when former PM Benazir was assassinated, both President Parvez Mosharraf and Chief of Army Staff Gen. Keyany were in the Pindi cantonment, just a stone's throw away.
What action did they take in preventing such broad daylight murder of a former PM? When Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated, his party PML was in shambles. As a result, civil and military bureaucrats could conveniently gradually grab state power, damaging almost all the political institutions, which were otherwise in a very fragile state. But when Benazir was assassinated, her party PPP was already rooted along the length and breadth of the country.
Her party is extremely popular among the poor people of Pakistan. Everywhere in Pakistan, from Peshawar to Lahore and from Quetta to Karachi, her party has spread its network. It would be difficult for any force how powerful it might be, to weed them out rather they themselves would likely to be worn out shortly.
At this critical moment of Pakistan's national history, the untimely death of Benazir will make Gen. Mosharraf's position untenable. From national and international and geo-political point of view, it was unlikely that Gen. Mosharraf dared to venture to eliminate Benazir.
And why should he do so? So is Nawaz Sharif, although he was groomed by Gen. Ziaul Haq and the all powerful ISI, yet at this moment by eliminating Benazir from the political scene of Pakistan, he gains nothing politically until he can remove Gen. Mosharraf. Understandably, Gen. Mosharraf also feels threatened from Nawaz Sharif only rather than from Benazir. Although the army as a whole feel comfortable with Nawaz Sharif than Benazir, who is more independent minded and thoroughly political with clear vision about the political norms and culture of future Pakistan.
It was apprehended that if Benazir got elected in the coming election she certainly would have tried her level best to put Pakistan Army, in particular, back to the barrack, which Pak Army would certainly resist very strongly. And perhaps it was courageous Benazir, who over the years became much more matured astute statesman could have tamed down highly politicized Pakistan Army and it is on this point the untimely tragic death of Benazir was a great loss not only to Pakistan, but also to the entire world particularly Indian Sub-continent.
On the other hand, the present Pakistani ruling clique unwittingly stepped into international political quagmire exposing themselves much more vulnerable to visible/invisible international pressure particularly in the safe handling of their nuclear arsenal. Probably jointly they have to guard their nuclear weapons including much loved keys.
All probability says that turmoil and flare-ups and sustained chaotic situation will ultimately compel them to succumb to mounting international pressures to hand over the keys of nuclear arsenal including posting of key military and technical personnel. In the process Pak Army in particular will be humbled by its own faulty and uncalled for manoeuvre and if it happens like this it would be a slur on Pakistan as a whole and until people of Pakistan in a body and in one voice overthrow all these 'power hungry, unimaginative, small, but powerful clique' who wants to rule Pakistan arbitrarily bulldozing fundamental and all other rights of the people of Pakistan. Most likely, Pakistan would not be able to overcome the present extremely volatile situation, where unfortunately Army has to bear the brunt, facing its own people who used to respect and love Armed forces as a national pride.
In that fight, struggling people of Pakistan will feel the absence of undaunted Benazir, yet her fighting spirit and supreme sacrifice will inspire all rank and file of Pakistani young or old to restore their basic rights and in ruling their own country all by themselves only.
Obviously people likes to adore courageous people, so is Punjabis, Baluchis, Pathans, Sindhis and all other people of Pakistan in their struggle of gaining democratic rights, economic and political freedom in determining their own fate all by themselves, will find a common bond in the indomitable fighting spirit of Moharatama Benazir Bhutto, making her immortal, larger than her legendary father, Zulfiquer Ali Bhutto.
In her glorious death Benazir outwitted her adversaries in all fronts. Long live Benazir Bhutto.
The writer is a retired military
officer and a former Ambassador.
He can be contacted at Tel:+9857643959 in New Orleans, USA
IN the afternoon of December 27, 07 Mohatarama Benazir Bhutto, was standing on a jeep through its open roof after a party rally in Rawalpindi. She was waving at the crowds. The jeep was moving very slowly. Right at that moment from the rear of her jeep at a very close range, not even two yards from Benazir, two hands with pistols appeared and, as a video clipping showed, started shooting at Benazir hitting her at the neck and chest. Almost instantaneously she was killed and hurriedly buried at her home graveyard in Larkana beside her father's grave. The funeral was completed apparently with a military precision, yet it seems that whosoever hatched the plot had executed it very poorly almost like a novice.
How an outsider, if at all (may be two or more men), could break inner cordon security barricade and ride on the bumper with gun and fired at Benazir. If he/they tried to force their way up then why on duty security elements swung into action then and there?
Over and above the uncalled for explanation of describing the cause of Benazir's death by the Interior Ministry put Pakistan Government into an awkward situation from where hardly they would be able to get rid of the stigma of bearing the responsibility of at least allowing or remaining unmindful in providing adequate protection to Benazir, a former prime minister of Pakistan.
The western journalist, an eyewitness, very clearly and categorically said that he heard three gunshots followed by bomb blast. The available video clipping, which was taken during those tragic moments of Benazir's life, faintly but clearly showed that two hands appeared with pistols aiming at Benazir from not even from a distance of 2 yards, just adjacent to the security guard standing on the bumper of the jeep carrying Benazir. He immediately started firing at Benazir. That means assassins were in and around Benazir from the moment she stepped out to get into that ill-fated jeep. After that no FBI or international inquiry team is required to investigate who killed Benazir, but one required prudent and courageous inquiry team to find out who hatched the plot of killing Benazir. And Benazir already named the likely killers and squarely blamed Gen. Mosharraf for not providing adequate security to which she was entitled.
Obviously Al Quaeda has hardly any interest in killing Benazir. After all, Benazir did not raid Red Mosque killing hundreds of Al Quaeda elements. In retaliation, most likely Al Quaeda would love to take on Gen. Mosharraf or commanders, who led the operations, rather than Benazir, a relatively soft target. Even an elected Benazir after assuming power, would not have been able to undertake such a hazardous military operation, as most likely the Army would not like to take such enormous risk for Benazir, but for Mosharraf or for any other military General/ commander only.
It seems Gen Mosharraf has outlived his utility both for the Pakistan Army and his mentor. Due to Kargil operation Gen. Mosharraf was extremely popular among troops and young officers of Pak Army. Besides, the then Prime Minister Newaz Sharif maltreated the then Chief of Army Staff Gen. Mosharraf, which compelled Gen. Mosharraf, of course, with the active support of almost entire Army, to take over country's administration. Nothing succeeds like success. But since then, lots of water flowed down the Indus River and Mosharraf finds it difficult to get the old magic touch. Finally, he thought, with Benazir, might be with or without Newaz Sharif, on his side, he would be able to make an honourable exit plan. But that too washed away. Obviously his days are numbered.
Army will keep Gen. Mosharraf as long incoming military elites needs the services of Gen. Mosharraf, particularly to tide over present crisis and clearing their accumulated dirty linen keeping the gun squarely on his shoulder.
Immediately after the firing, critically injured Benazir was rushed to the nearby hospital, perhaps by then she was already dead. Doctors tried their level best to make her respiratory system functioning as quickly as possible but in vain. Within an hour, the attending doctor declared her dead. Doctor diagnosed the cause of her death, certifying that Benazir died of gunshot injury at the neck damaging her spinal cord and another bullet pierced through her chest causing almost instantaneous death.
Over 24 hours after the doctor's declaration, the melodrama started duly orchestrated by the Interior Ministry of Pakistan. The Interior Ministry presented their version of probable causes of death of Benazir, saying that Benazir died of head injury, which she suffered when she bumped her head into jeep. Although initially it was told that she died of bomb blast/ splinter, or even a picture was painted that a suicidal squad in a motor cycle bumped into the jeep carrying Benazir, himself blown off, killing Benazir. Earlier on, another conflicting statement was made that a policeman fired at Benazir and killed her.
Interior Ministry then presented a recorded tape conversation connecting the killing of Benazir to Al Quaeda extremist group. Conversation seems to be made in a most casual manner. No killer would like to identify himself or an individual, instead of an organization if at all and above all identifying his own location, seems to be ridiculous.
What Interior Ministry wanted to prove or project is not very clear. Apparently none of them was found in and around the place of incident during or immediately after the firing took place, may be they were present in disguise. The Internal Ministry of Pakistan could not protect Benazir, nor the security guard standing on the bumper of the ill-fated jeep could catch hold of or made any attempt to chase him/them or to arrest him/them, but immediately after the incident, efficient Interior Ministry could procure tape conversation, which is likely to complicate the issue in question.
If Interior Ministry knew or came to know where assassins were and why did they not rush then and there and chase them and hunt them down? Why did they not visit the place of occurrence or dying Benazir at the hospital? Because they were busy taping the Tel/M conversation so that they could prove that it was Al Quaeda who did it. Which means they were suffering from guilt or for one reason or other they were afraid and out of fear they wanted to put the blame on Al Quaeda, which is as convenient for Pakistani ruling junta as for western world. Otherwise, when the doctor already certified the cause of death, their explanation of cause of death of Benazir was uncalled for, and raised so many unanswered questions. No wonder, since then, many observant minds started raising their eye brows. Clearly Interior Ministry, reasons best known to them, wants to cover up the incident. But why? And whom do they want to protect from being detected and again why? One should not forget that it is the same area where in 1951, at the behest of the Army Head quarters just a stone's throw away that the first Prime minister of Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan got killed and immediately the alleged killer was also killed. No wonder an inquiry team was put into action, yet on inquiry, like Kennedy assassination nothing could be found till today.
When Liaquat Ali was assassinated, the then Commander in Chief of Pak Army, Gen. Ayub Khan was in USA, while when former PM Benazir was assassinated, both President Parvez Mosharraf and Chief of Army Staff Gen. Keyany were in the Pindi cantonment, just a stone's throw away.
What action did they take in preventing such broad daylight murder of a former PM? When Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated, his party PML was in shambles. As a result, civil and military bureaucrats could conveniently gradually grab state power, damaging almost all the political institutions, which were otherwise in a very fragile state. But when Benazir was assassinated, her party PPP was already rooted along the length and breadth of the country.
Her party is extremely popular among the poor people of Pakistan. Everywhere in Pakistan, from Peshawar to Lahore and from Quetta to Karachi, her party has spread its network. It would be difficult for any force how powerful it might be, to weed them out rather they themselves would likely to be worn out shortly.
At this critical moment of Pakistan's national history, the untimely death of Benazir will make Gen. Mosharraf's position untenable. From national and international and geo-political point of view, it was unlikely that Gen. Mosharraf dared to venture to eliminate Benazir.
And why should he do so? So is Nawaz Sharif, although he was groomed by Gen. Ziaul Haq and the all powerful ISI, yet at this moment by eliminating Benazir from the political scene of Pakistan, he gains nothing politically until he can remove Gen. Mosharraf. Understandably, Gen. Mosharraf also feels threatened from Nawaz Sharif only rather than from Benazir. Although the army as a whole feel comfortable with Nawaz Sharif than Benazir, who is more independent minded and thoroughly political with clear vision about the political norms and culture of future Pakistan.
It was apprehended that if Benazir got elected in the coming election she certainly would have tried her level best to put Pakistan Army, in particular, back to the barrack, which Pak Army would certainly resist very strongly. And perhaps it was courageous Benazir, who over the years became much more matured astute statesman could have tamed down highly politicized Pakistan Army and it is on this point the untimely tragic death of Benazir was a great loss not only to Pakistan, but also to the entire world particularly Indian Sub-continent.
On the other hand, the present Pakistani ruling clique unwittingly stepped into international political quagmire exposing themselves much more vulnerable to visible/invisible international pressure particularly in the safe handling of their nuclear arsenal. Probably jointly they have to guard their nuclear weapons including much loved keys.
All probability says that turmoil and flare-ups and sustained chaotic situation will ultimately compel them to succumb to mounting international pressures to hand over the keys of nuclear arsenal including posting of key military and technical personnel. In the process Pak Army in particular will be humbled by its own faulty and uncalled for manoeuvre and if it happens like this it would be a slur on Pakistan as a whole and until people of Pakistan in a body and in one voice overthrow all these 'power hungry, unimaginative, small, but powerful clique' who wants to rule Pakistan arbitrarily bulldozing fundamental and all other rights of the people of Pakistan. Most likely, Pakistan would not be able to overcome the present extremely volatile situation, where unfortunately Army has to bear the brunt, facing its own people who used to respect and love Armed forces as a national pride.
In that fight, struggling people of Pakistan will feel the absence of undaunted Benazir, yet her fighting spirit and supreme sacrifice will inspire all rank and file of Pakistani young or old to restore their basic rights and in ruling their own country all by themselves only.
Obviously people likes to adore courageous people, so is Punjabis, Baluchis, Pathans, Sindhis and all other people of Pakistan in their struggle of gaining democratic rights, economic and political freedom in determining their own fate all by themselves, will find a common bond in the indomitable fighting spirit of Moharatama Benazir Bhutto, making her immortal, larger than her legendary father, Zulfiquer Ali Bhutto.
In her glorious death Benazir outwitted her adversaries in all fronts. Long live Benazir Bhutto.
The writer is a retired military
officer and a former Ambassador.
He can be contacted at Tel:+9857643959 in New Orleans, USA