Editorial
Benazir assassinated
We condemn the ghastly act
Bullets and bombs of maniacs finally found their target in Pakistan. They succeeded in stopping the bold strides of Benazir Bhutto, who, knowing fully well the risks, remained iron-willed against forces set to spread undemocratic and extremist ideology throughout Pakistan. It is deplorable that she could not finish the battle against those elements. In a poignant twist of fate, she was stopped when common people were beginning to rally behind her to demilitarise country's politics and pave the way for democracy.
It is indeed a tragic finale of an illustrious political career that rose and fell and rose again from its own ashes, like the Biblical phoenix bird. Twice elected prime minister of Pakistan, between 1988 and 1996, Benazir was forced to resign on both occasions on charges that ranged from incompetence to corruption. Recently, Benazir Bhutto managed to attract world attention with her fiery speeches in which she was unequivocal in denouncing the rise of various extremist groups in Pakistan under the patronage of local and foreign vested powers. She in fact emerged as the clearest and loudest voice against the proliferation of the extremist elements under the rule of Musharraf. Hence the question is, what has Musharraf been doing all this time when he claimed to have contained them effectively? The spate of violence that took place in Islamabad and Rawalpindi indicates massive security failure on the part of the Pakistan government. Benazir Bhutto and other leaders of PPP are known to have repeatedly asked for better security for her. It is only evident now that it did not come when she needed it most.
We strongly feel the proliferation of terrorism and the frequency and ruthlessness of terrorist attacks in Pakistan should once again be taken with due seriousness by the leaders of the SAARC countries for terrorism seems to have spread its tentacles in the region including Bangladesh. We therefore believe this is time for taking collective action to contain the growing threat. Let Benazir's assassination galvanise all the leaders of SAARC to stand united against these obscurantist elements.
We express our deepest condolence at the untimely demise of Benazir Bhutto and join the people of Pakistan in praying for the salvation of her soul.
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