Bomb blast at Benazir's Rally

Oct 19, 2007 Karachi witnessed another sad day. 2 bombs exploded killing more than 125 and injuring more than 500 people. ANAA is outraged at the failure of government to give security to its citizens.

B Raman, an analyst for outlook India , writed that no other political leader of Pakistan has as many personal enemies as Mrs Benazir Bhutto. Her support is confined to Sindh and to the Seraiki areas of Southern Punjab. In the rest of the country, she has as many enemies as she has friends.

He furrther writes that any wise leader would have noticed the widespread anti-Americanism in Pakistan and realised the importance of not projecting himself or herself as a leader blessed by the US and as the US choice to facilitate the transition of Pakistan back to democracy.

Many of her statements were like the red rag to the jihadi bulls-- that she would hand over A.Q.Khan, Pakistan's nuclear scientist, to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna for interrogation, that she would co-operate with the US in the war on terrorism, that she would hand over Dawood Ibrahim, the Indian mafia leader living in Karachi, to India etc etc.

He further adds that Benazir and Musharraf have many things in common. One of them is an inability to keep their mouth shut. The second is a weakness for the TV cameras. The third is an eagerness to be liked by the Americans. The result: All anti-American groups in Pakistan were waiting for an opportunity to kill her.

Pakistan is a society inextricably caught in the clutches of the jihadis. The jihadis are not yet in a position to capture power, but they are in a position to keep the country bleeding and targeting its leaders and public servants.

What Pakistan needs at this critical hour in its history is a leader, who is widely perceived as independent and not an American stooge. Neither Musharraf nor Mrs.Benazir Bhutto is such a leader. Mr Nawaz Sharif, if he is able to come back to power, could turn out to be such a leader. He has maintained a distance from the US. He does not fawn on the US like Mrs.Benazir does. Pakistan needs Mr Nawaz Sharif more than it needs Musharraf or Benazir.

If the US really wants to save Pakistan and its nuclear arsenal from the clutches of the terrorists, it would be wise enough to encourage a genuine transition to democracy without any favourites. (full article)