Day 213 – The political Dynasty of Bhutto

I just felt like giving a little bit food for thought to those who talk about PPP (Benazir) and democracy (in general) in Pakistan…

I am not going to tell You much, only basic assumptions of mine (no objectivity is guaranteed): what kind of promise for Democracy can bring a political party that for the last three generations is lead by the same family?

See… PPP was founded by Zulfikar Bhutto, who became hero while being the leader of Pakistan because he had people (left wing) oriented orientation. At the end of his rule, he rather became unpopular (some people say he started to behave like a dictator) and was executed after the military coup. After this, and after it was clear that General Zia (who did the coup) is even worse,  Zulfikar became a hero again.

And thus first his wife and later his daughter (Benazir) was appointed to bethe head of the party, the daugther actaully as a life-long chairman (!). She lead the party and, after General Zias mysterious death (plane explosion), became a prime minister twice, she didnt show herself very skilled when it comes to managing the country. During this time she has accepted an arranged marriage with Asif Zardari. A rich man, who got famous for very huge corruption scandals, while being an important person in Benazirs government and PPP. In both cases of her prime-ministering she was discharged due to corruption cases…

She got back from exile when it was obvious that Musharafs power is decreasing. After first unsucessful terrorist attack in Karachi (150 ppl dead) she was killed on the 27th in Rawalpindi…

Her 19-year old son Bilawal and husband were chosen to be co-chairmans of the party (also Benazirs sister was one option). One of the party officials said that the “PPP workers would not accept a non-Bhutto leadership“. The roles have been clear already at the begining = Zardari said news-guys should ask him as Bilawal is in a “tender age” and sent him to finish school…

Am I bias? Might be… Most of all I wrote this because very soon BB will become a martyr and talking about the negatives will not be appropriate (it actually already is) and secondly and more importantly – I am sad, that the “only hope for democracy and peace”, how BB was called e.g. in Slovak newspapers, was a person with such a history… end