Much to the confusion and ire of Pakistanis, the country’s de facto Interior Minister Rehman Malik was named the recipient of the “International Peace Award 2008 for War against Terrorism.”

The awarding body is the International Human Rights Commission.  The name suggests that it is a legitimate, international organization perhaps based in New York, Geneva, or London.

But no, a simple Google search brings us to the website (cheapo couldn’t even get his own domain name) of the IHRC (providing it with an acronym gives it undeserved legitimacy), which demonstrates it’s a one-man show run by a shady character in Islamabad.

The IHRC’s website provides the visitor with a few minutes of entertainment.

We learn that the group’s “world chairman” is “Ambassador Dr.” Muhammad Shahid Amin Khan.  His bio provides no evidence of diplomatic service that would produce the title of ambassador.  One is also suspicious of the veracity of his claim of being a doctor.

Mr. Khan also claims that he will be in the United States to meet the (spelling errors are his):

“Bush Administeration, Governor of Hawaii Mrs. Lingly, US Chairman of Senate, State Department Officials, United Natiosn Former Secretay General Kofi Annan and other leaders of Organization to discuss the Political and Regional Situation and Political Situation of Pakistan.”

Mr. Khan also includes photos of “the first family,” i.e. his five kids.  In the interest of their welfare and future dignity, I shall not post their photos here.  There’s also a page for his wife, otherwise known as “the first lady.”

Upon visiting the page of the senior vice chairperson, Asiya Khan, we learn through the “Order of the Day” (how regal a pronouncement!) that (spelling errors are his):

“Desiganiated Senior Vice Chairperson is suspanded & dissmissed by the order of the Worthy Chairman from 2nd of June 2008 till next orders. No official will respond on her any request as directed by the Chairman.”

On the site’s main page, we learn of the reasons for Ms. Khan’s dismissal (spelling errors are his):

“Ambassador Mrs. Asiya Khan “Dismissed” from all desiganated posts as the Senior Vice Chairperson & Ambassador from 2nd June 2008 as she never take charge and assume office in the organization ffrom the day of appointment as Ambassador.”

Then there are some other schmucks in various do-nothing positions with the organization.  The various “global offices” are mostly Hotmail addresses.

We end with the juiciest details of all: the IHRC’s World Peace “Ambassadors.”

These “ambassadors” seem capable of strengthening bilateral relations with any man — I mean state.

Mr. Khan writes:

“NEWS OF THE DAY
AMBASSADORS AT LARGE FOR PEACE

IHRC appionted female models from many countries as the Peace Ambassador, they will work through out the world for the globle peace and human rights……Says IHRC Chief today

See the more informations >>>>>>>>>The Media Models>>>>>>>>>”

The group’s “Peace Ambassadors” are: Jaqui Rodriguez, Cassandra Leigh (on left), and Rodika Miron.

It leads me to believe that Mr. Khan is involved in, or at least has attempted to, traffic Eastern Bloc females for illicit purposes.

How does Mr. Khan make his money?  Is he involved in prostitution?  Or did he just copy and paste images off of the Internet?  He claims “Cassandra Leigh” visited Pakistan in June 2008 for a “week long visit to meet the Pakistan leadership and political Parties heads to discuss the issue of peace in the region.”

That explains where Zardari was for the month of June!

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto died at 6:16PM PST (8:16AM New York) today after suffering fatal wounds from an assassination attempt while leaving Liaquat Park in Rawalpindi.

Bhutto, after completing her address at the party rally and entering a bomb and bulletproof vehicle, reportedly opened the vehicle’s sunroof and shook hands with her supporters through it, exposing the top half of her body. An assassin, perhaps briefly preceded by a suicide blast nearby, fired three to five shots at her; one struck Ms. Bhutto in the head and the other in her neck. The assassin then blew himself up.

Rehman Malik, Bhutto’s chief security adviser and Naheed Khan, a close Bhutto friend are critically injured. Over thirty others have been killed.

Dawn reports in today’s paper (before the blast) that Islamabad (adjacent to Rawalpindi) was under high alert and heightened security due to threats from Baitullah Mehsud. Nusrat Javed of Aaj Television states that the suicide attacker went through three rings of security to reach Ms. Bhutto.

Pakistan’s first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated in Rawalpindi — at the same park– on October 16, 1951. Bhutto’s father was also hung in Rawalpindi in 1979.

Ms. Bhutto joins the list of assassinated family members: her brother Shahnawaz died from poisoning in France in 1985 and her other brother Murtaza was shot to death by police at close range in 1996.

UPDATE – 09:56AM – GEO reports of gunfire and blasts near Bilawal House, the Bhutto home in Karachi.

UPDATE – 10:05AM – An immensely distraught Asif Ali Zardari, husband of the late Benazir Bhutto, just spoke briefly on GEO Television. On his way from Dubai to Karachi, he said, “We will see what has happened. We don’t believe all of what’s been said. We will see then we will believe it.”

UPDATE – 10:38AM – Pervez Musharraf has appealed to the people of Pakistan to cooperate with the security forces to maintain calm as violence grows across the country. The extent of the turmoil is unclear at this point, but GEO is reporting significant violence in Karachi.

UPDATE – 10:45AM – GEO reports that there will be a three days of mourning in Bhutto’s home province of Sindh. Bhutto’s body will be transported from Rawalpindi to Karachi, but it could be temporarily placed at Zardari House in Islamabad.

UPDATE – 10:58AM – Former Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence Hamid Gul states on GEO that the assassination of Benazir Bhutto demonstrates the “failure” of Pervez Musharraf’s government and calls for a “consensus government.”

UPDATE – 11:05AM – GEO has shown the image of the gun believed to have been used to fire upon Bhutto.

UPDATE – 11:21AM – Pervez Musharraf just completed a national address on Pakistan television. He has announced a three day national mourning period. Musharraf attributed the attacks to the terrorists the country is waging a war against and vowed to continue the fight till they are vanquished.

George W. Bush earlier made an address from Crawford, Texas, urging Pakistanis to “honor Benazir Bhutto’s memory by continuing with the democratic process for which she so bravely gave her life.”

UPDATE – 12:50PM – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has announced that they will boycott the elections.

UPDATE – 1:02PM – Nawaz Sharif is giving a speech now explaining his boycott of the elections, stating that neither free and fair elections nor security can be provided with Musharraf as president.

UPDATE – 1:05PM – The body of Benazir Bhutto is at Chaklala Air Base in Islamabad. It will be transported to Bhutto’s hometown of Larkana, where she will be buried at the family mausoleum in Garhi Khuda Baksh.