FEATURE
FEATURES & ARTICLES
Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 17:25:39 -0400
Scared by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's home coming, enemies of democracy have perpetrated carnage just a few feet away from Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's Caravan of Democracy. It seemed like someone made a point proving credibility to previously predicted threats and claiming “We told you so”. But the question remains what did they do to about preventing it?
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto sparks off beginning of a new era promising hope for millions ignored the rule of elitist, by elitist, and for elitist. Hundreds and thousands of people coming from distant places of Pakistan including places in Punjab, Baluchistan, NWFP, and Sindh signifies an unstoppable bottom-up rise of the people against the top-down raj in Pakistan.
The rainbow of people waiting to catch a glimpse of their beloved leader came from various provinces, diverse ethnic groups, various religious backgrounds and age groups ranging from 18 years old kids to 88 years old men and women. Empowered by their leader, this ocean of people stood on their feet for more than 24 hours. No one was intimidated or coerced to join this greeting.
What motivated these common citizens of Pakistan was a revival of hope and promise in Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's leadership and message. Once again MBB has unleashed power of the people that was capped for almost two decades by top-down raj.
Having faith in common men, MBB defied all odds and proved all her critics wrong who predicted nothing but the dooms day for her. She has taken her critics back to school by teaching them a lesson that confrontation and civil strife is not the only option available to influence change from nominal to representative democracy. By skillfully leveraging the world opinion and power of the people of Pakistan she has successfully delivered a powerful message to military rulers asking them to give-in to power of the people.
Unfortunately people like Imran Khan, supporters of Mian Nawaz Sharif, and other eager critics also joined Musharraf's hound dogs like Chaudhary Shujaat, Chaudhary Pervez Illahi, Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, and Arbab Rahim and Mohammed Ali Durani when vilifying MBB. It seemed as if they were all reading from the same script handed over to them.
Pakistani media and her critics have now conceded that MBB's strategy of negotiated transition has paid off. Witnessing the people power behind Benazir Bhutto the one who has actually come to regret the so called "Deal" is General Pervez Musharraf himself. MBB's return has sent serious chills to the establishment and the children of Zia-ul-Haq’s legacy.
Some believe that the Chaudhary brothers who were holding their ground against any dialogue with Mian Nawaz Sharif have now agreed to formation of an alliance against growing threat from Benazir Bhutto.
This right wing alliance will constitute parties from old IJI and descendants of General Zia-ul-Haq’s legacy. It is also believed that this idea has already received a nod from General Musharraf who would like to manage threat to his power by good old golden principle of divide and rule. I hope Mian Nawaz Sharif does not fall into this trap. Such an alliance will drift his party to extreme right thus robbing the nation of a possible healthy and collaborative transition from dictatorship to representative democracy.
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has already extended her hand of friendship to Mian Nawaz Sharif. Her return to Pakistan and rallying of people behind her has broken the barriers to democratization of Pakistan. She has built the bridge on which a caravan of democracy can proceed to its destiny. It is the only way to call General Musharraf's bluff.
Scared by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's home coming, enemies of democracy have perpetrated carnage just a few feet away from Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's Caravan of Democracy. It seemed like someone made a point proving credibility to previously predicted threats and claiming “We told you so”. But the question remains what did they do to about preventing it?
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto sparks off beginning of a new era promising hope for millions ignored the rule of elitist, by elitist, and for elitist. Hundreds and thousands of people coming from distant places of Pakistan including places in Punjab, Baluchistan, NWFP, and Sindh signifies an unstoppable bottom-up rise of the people against the top-down raj in Pakistan.
The rainbow of people waiting to catch a glimpse of their beloved leader came from various provinces, diverse ethnic groups, various religious backgrounds and age groups ranging from 18 years old kids to 88 years old men and women. Empowered by their leader, this ocean of people stood on their feet for more than 24 hours. No one was intimidated or coerced to join this greeting.
What motivated these common citizens of Pakistan was a revival of hope and promise in Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's leadership and message. Once again MBB has unleashed power of the people that was capped for almost two decades by top-down raj.
Having faith in common men, MBB defied all odds and proved all her critics wrong who predicted nothing but the dooms day for her. She has taken her critics back to school by teaching them a lesson that confrontation and civil strife is not the only option available to influence change from nominal to representative democracy. By skillfully leveraging the world opinion and power of the people of Pakistan she has successfully delivered a powerful message to military rulers asking them to give-in to power of the people.
Unfortunately people like Imran Khan, supporters of Mian Nawaz Sharif, and other eager critics also joined Musharraf's hound dogs like Chaudhary Shujaat, Chaudhary Pervez Illahi, Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, and Arbab Rahim and Mohammed Ali Durani when vilifying MBB. It seemed as if they were all reading from the same script handed over to them.
Pakistani media and her critics have now conceded that MBB's strategy of negotiated transition has paid off. Witnessing the people power behind Benazir Bhutto the one who has actually come to regret the so called "Deal" is General Pervez Musharraf himself. MBB's return has sent serious chills to the establishment and the children of Zia-ul-Haq’s legacy.
Some believe that the Chaudhary brothers who were holding their ground against any dialogue with Mian Nawaz Sharif have now agreed to formation of an alliance against growing threat from Benazir Bhutto.
This right wing alliance will constitute parties from old IJI and descendants of General Zia-ul-Haq’s legacy. It is also believed that this idea has already received a nod from General Musharraf who would like to manage threat to his power by good old golden principle of divide and rule. I hope Mian Nawaz Sharif does not fall into this trap. Such an alliance will drift his party to extreme right thus robbing the nation of a possible healthy and collaborative transition from dictatorship to representative democracy.
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto has already extended her hand of friendship to Mian Nawaz Sharif. Her return to Pakistan and rallying of people behind her has broken the barriers to democratization of Pakistan. She has built the bridge on which a caravan of democracy can proceed to its destiny. It is the only way to call General Musharraf's bluff.
Bomb blasts can’t scare bottom-up rise against top-down raj
EDITORIAL
By: Iqbal Tareen