Re: If Benazir knew this would happen…
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=179675&version=1&template_id=41&parent_id=23
PPP leader accused of irresponsibility
Some Pakistanis are not happy with what they referred to as the irresponsibility that Benazir Bhutto showed towards the country she says she loves. Some citizens are angry because they say Bhutto had the audacity to encourage such a large rally even though she knew of the political instability in the country. “If Benazir were a responsible leader she would not have created so much hype about her return after a ‘self-imposed’ exile,” opined Mehmood Rana, a 34-year-old citizen. Rana said he felt Bhutto should have started her election campaign with dignified rallies in safe and restricted areas instead of “putting the lives of her supporters and workers in jeopardy knowing fully well that there were warnings of suicide bombings from the Pakistani and British intelligence.” “Sherry Rahman commented that the government’s security wasn’t competent enough and held government agencies accountable for the blasts despite their warnings,” said Ozair Shafi, strongly disagreeing with the current blame game.
Some civilians blame the public for the disaster, which should have been foreseen. “I believe the people of this country don’t deserve a democratic government because, since the inception of Pakistan, the same leaders have been going back and forth. And every time the leaders go out of power the public cries about the injustices they had to endure, but then they accept more from the same,” said Ibtisaam Saleem, 26. “People feel that even though Benazir was wrong for encouraging the rally, the public is just as responsible because they went through so much trouble for an already tried and tested, and might I add failed, leader,” said Mustafa Qureshi, a senior citizen. There are concerned parents who feel that media coverage on television should be limited. “Somebody needs to impose strict law in Pakistan so we can claim damages for the media’s horrific live coverage this year,” said Sukaina Alam, a lawyer and mother of three. “Schools shut down during the chief justice’s rallies and now for Benazir’s homecoming. The children have been flicking through channels seeing awful sights of a dysfunctional governmental system,” said Sukaina, adding that while media coverage has been exceptional, there should not be a need for such detail.
“I was on 26th Street near Ideal Bakery earlier today with my two children in the car and a riot erupted. I was horrified for the sake of my children and I only blame Benazir for causing so much misery by coming back here,” said Rukhsana Shahid, a concerned citizen. She said that if just within 12 hours of Bhutto’s return there was so much fatal drama, what guarantees could she give the people if she were to come in power? “I saw people dancing and singing on the roads and kept on praying for this rally to end without as much damage as was expected but I woke up in the morning to see that the situation was much worse than I had imagined,” said Khadeeja Ilahi, a senior citizen. Khadeeja said she had been a staunch supporter of the PPP in the time of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. “That is what inclined me to put my faith in Benazir when she was elected for the very first time. I gave her my vote the next time around as well thinking that she would have gained more experience by then,” she said. “Now I simply fail to understand why anyone, especially after the events of October 18, would want to give her a third chance,” she added.
