Tragic end

Sir — Benazir Bhutto was not just the first woman prime minister of Pakistan and an influential leader, but also a woman of substance and dignity. Besides, she was highly educated, a person of refined tastes and a most articulate speaker. Benazir as a leader is irreplaceable. With her death, the only hope of restoring democracy in Pakistan has been extinguished (“Butchered”, Dec 29). Benazir Bhutto coming to power in Pakistan would have also been a positive development from India’s perspective. The article written by her on the Agra Summit in 2001 reflects how she never stopped thinking about ways of restoring friendly relations between the two nations. She was a thoughtful politician and a visionary who could have changed the fate of a country that has been weakened by years of terror and oppression.

Yours faithfully,
Shreemoyee Mukherjee, Guwahati

Sir — The sins of the parents visit their offspring. Benazir Bhutto, hailed as the “Daughter of the East”, has paid the price for daring to challenge the mullahs. Her death is possibly a retribution for the tyrannical regime of her father, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was severely critical of the Pakistan army’s defeat to India in the war of 1971. His vehement speech at the United Nations, vowing to fight a thousand-year war against India, cannot be forgotten either. Benazir had claimed such a man to be her role model all her life. Her alleged hobnobbing with the jihadi taliban in Afghanistan when she was in power cannot be overlooked either. She, apart from the late Zia-ul Haq more than anyone else, had created the frankenstein that killed her in the end. Pervez Musharraf, until recently, had been criticized, nationally and internationally, because of his refusal to shed his uniform. But nobody seems to have anything bad to say of Benazir’s past two tenures as prime minister. At a fundamental level, the fact remains that Pakistan was founded as an Islamic State. In Islam there is not much scope for democracy to thrive, much less for a woman to shed the burqa and lead.

Yours faithfully,
Subrata Dutta, Calcutta

Sir — Benazir Bhutto’s dramatic return to Pakistan had ushered in new hopes for democracy. But, now, after her assassination, that promise has been broken, and the country has dissolved into anarchy. No one knew better than Benazir how much she had risked by agreeing to come back to Pakistan. Even in her last speech, she had admitted that her life was in danger. What is most shocking is the way Benazir was assassinated, right under the nose of the Pakistani military authorities in the garrison town of Rawalpindi. Does this mean that Pervez Musharraf is indeed as helpless in the face of uncontrolled terrorism as he would like us to believe? Or does Benazir’s murder suggest that Musharraf too is involved in the crime? How else would anyone justify the lax security arrangement for an important political leader like Benazir?

Presently, Pakistan is in the grip of violence, but this is also a wonderful opportunity for the people to bring about a change in the polity. They must strongly oppose terrorists and conspirators alike. Benazir would always be remembered for her boldness and charismatic personality. But Pakistan’s citizens must bring in some lasting change in the country to honour this fallen leader.

Yours faithfully,
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad

Sir — The generals in Pakistan refuse to embrace democracy because their access to unlimited power has spoilt their habits. They can get rid of ‘intruders’ like Benazir Bhutto who are perceived as harbingers of positive change. If the world is to be purged of terrorism, the army in Pakistan needs to be confined to the barracks.

Yours faithfully,
Raghubir Singh, Pune

Sir — The assassination of Benazir Bhutto, and the current state of insecurity prevailing in Pakistan are alarming not only for that country but also for India. The gradual transfer of State power to extremist groups might give these militants an easy access to Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal in the future and India should be prepared for this eventuality. The Islamization of Pakistan would have international ramifications as well. Pakistan shares its borders with Iran and Afghanistan, and the rise of fundamentalists there would surely jeopardize international security.

Yours faithfully,
Garima Dasgupta, Denver, US

Sir — President George W. Bush sounded annoyingly glib when he insisted that Pakistan must remain on the democratic path in the wake of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. Does Bush realize the extent to which the people in Pakistan have their civil liberties threatened at this point? Which other leader can they turn to with the hope of democracy? Nawaz Sharif himself was targeted on the very day Benazir lost her life. Any leader with democratic credentials is being methodically wiped out by the jihadists. Under these circumstances, the people on their own can hardly fight for democracy. Benazir’s closeness to the West was strongly disapproved of by religious fanatics in Pakistan. The Americans knew this, so they too must shoulder the blame for Benazir’s death. Had America dealt with Musharraf and the mullahs strongly, things might have turned out differently.

Yours faithfully,
Dhrubajyoti Bhattacharjee, Darjeeling