The Day After: Friday Round-Up
- Benazir Bhutto laid to rest near her father in Garhi Khuda Baksh
- Javed Iqbal Cheema, Interior Ministry spokesperson: Baitullah Mehsud Responsible for Bhutto’s Killing
- Claims intelligence services intercepted Mehsud conversation at 9:15 AM PST today (Thursday, 11:15PM New York) in which he congratulated a person referred to as Maulvi Sahib (a title, not a name) on Bhutto’s murder who tells him “They were our men.”
- Interestingly, Mehsud asks Maulvi Sahib, “Who were they?” If the transcript is accurate (translated from Pashto into Urdu and then English), it means that Mehsud did not know the identity of the attackers. In fact, he probably was not aware of the plot’s specifics as Maulvi Sahib tells him, “I will give you more details when I come.”
- But, Maulvi Sahib congratulates Mehsud first, who then returns the pleasantry. So Mehsud, if the transcript is real and accurate, likely issued the attack but delegated planning and management to a subordinate–Maulvi Sahib. And so though it’s unclear when Maulvi Sahib says, “They were our men,” whether “our” includes Mehsud, it most likely it does. Mehsud issues an order to Maulvi Sahib afterwards: “Do not inform their family presently.” So Maulvi Sahib is an manager working under Baitullah Mehsud.
- Blow to head, not bullets or ball bearings, killed Bhutto
- Transcript of conversation, external postmortem of Bhutto, and video of gunman firing at Bhutto released
- People’s Party rejects Interior Ministry’s findings; Farooq Naik of PPP: “It is a pack of lies.”
- Government to hold All Parties Conference to discuss elections [Link]
- Violence across Pakistan
- Karachi: Plastics factory set on fire, killing 6;
- Rioting in Karachi causes major telecom outage [Link]
- Liaquat Ali Jatoi’s home set on fire
- Banks, gas stations, rail cars, and shops set on fire
- Army sends battallions to major cities in Sindh: Hyderabad (2 batallions), Mirpurkhas, Jamshoro, Badin, Thatta, Tandoallah Yar, Nowshero Feroz, Dadu, Shakarpur, Khairpur, Larkana, Shahadad Kot, Ghotki, Kashmore, and Karachi (Orangi, Malir, Sahfora Chowk, Bin Qasim, SITE Area, and Steel Mills Colony).
- Government earlier claimed ball bearings from blast, not bullet, killed Bhutto; Murder scene hosed off with water soon after assassination
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A fine round-up …. to the tragedy !!
Hoping things settle down fast!!
It is no wonder the rest of the world has issues with the “third world”. Intellectual progress and education have come to a halt there. With all the talk of politics….just stop and look at the politicians…no education, semi literate, criminal backgrounds, they can’t even dress properly and they let religion rule their world….very cult like I would say. We should let them continue to bomb themselves, perhaps that process will move faster then their birthrate.
Assassinations are what they are no matter who the victim/s might be. All such attempts are tragic happenings; nails hammered in the coffin of humanity; be it the murder of the most common and emarginated person in any global location or that of a personality such as Ms. Benazir Bhutto’s. It goes without saying that the assassination of a high profile personality, a charismatic leader with millions of followers in a country which today is a nuclear power and in an area where there are another two nuclear powers, creates, without shadow of doubt, a high risk for an explosive scenario.
However, one must bear in mind that all incidents can be looked at in two different ways. The first would be that of perceiving only the negative aspects, whilst the other instigates one to concentrate on the positive points that can be speculated upon and extracted from the negative constraints. Ms. Bhutto’s assassination is tremendously tragic, but it would become even more seriously so if the country spirals into the whirlpool of violence. If this were to happen, Ms. Bhutto’s sacrifice would have served for nothing. In today’s global village, there is no place on earth that can remain indifferent to any violence that erupts even in the most remote areas and regions.
Let it be clear, this is not only Pakistan’s problem. The problem is in each and every country of the globe be it West, East, North or South. In essence violence is evil by nature simply because it targets that very bond between all human beings. We all are the creation of the same Divine source. From the eldest to the youngest all humans form that marvellous BODY called HUMANITY. Any person who gets pricked by a needle says ‘ouch’. Likewise HUMANITY gets hurt with the loss or injury of any one of its members – even those conceived and still in the womb I must say. Violence is sensless for the simple reason that those who wield power can coerce others into anything but cannot control thoughts and feelings. Even if one does exert such control it is only temporary. Forcing does not mean converting. Quite the contrary, with the lapse of time, those who wield ruthless power end up hated. Eventually, time shows that they fooled none other except themselves.
The point of departure should be that of LOVE and RESPECT towards all neighbours immaterial of colour, creed, political thought, race and status. It is high time that discussions – even those that deal with problem areas and regions where conflict is rife – should, in my opinion, be structured in a different way. Parties to meetings at all levels should, apart from listing their own requirements based upon what they want to achieve, place themselves also in the shoes of the other part and understand their requirements as if they were their own. I am of the opinion that each representative delegation should have one or two members who are well-balanced, peace-minded think-tanks who fully understand in a positive and highly respectful manner the opposing delegations’ cultural, religious, economic, political and historical characteristics. The world should start thinking on the lines of ‘what are we ready to concede’ instead of ‘what can we exploit and win’. The first statement brings about much more gain whilst the second is apt to transpire into lack of agreement – or stalemate at most. As the saying goes, ‘no pain, no gain’.
I believe in a motto: “Dispose and scrap the arms (armaments) that waste precious life and open the arms (body) to embrace all priceless life”.
Open up your eyes, minds and hearts to LIFE all those who have a leader role. By keeping them closed there might come a time (and it might be sooner than one thinks) when the whole world becomes so ill, there will be nothing left to lead.
Rich people of the world, don’t just be bystanders to the billions of poor and suffering. Everyone should engage in doing something to eradicate these scourges from the face of the earth and all the serious problems start to disintegrate one by one. Is what I say utopia? I do not think so – where there’s a will there’s a way!