The ceremony hastily organized to "choose" a successor to Benazir Bhutto at the head of the Pakistan "People"'s Party, was a complete masquerade. A tragic-comedy, glorifying the Bhuttos and celebrating nepotism and the feudal system which kept this region of the world as backward as it is! I have to admit, I was myself naively dragged into thinking (hoping) that the PPP was a kind of representative of a shining, secular and progressive branch of Muslim World's politics. I'm afraid I was wrong. And the way, the Aftermath of the murder of Ms. Bhutto has been handled goes to show how power-obsessed the people around her were, especially her husband. I've come across this enlightening article by Tariq Ali, Pakistan-born writer, broadcaster and commentator, published last monday in The Independent, which I think, puts thinks in their right order.
Pictures courtesy of Christiane Michaud & PPPUSA.org
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2 comments:
Hi Hisham.
I think you feel disappointed by the succession to Benazir Bhutto. To make a forward to your comment, this is what I can say:
To perpetuate the Bhutto dynasty at all cost, Bilawal Zardari changed his second name or has it changed so now he's known as Bilawal Bhutto. This must be the first time it has happened in the Muslim World ; in that, a son dropping his father's name to bear his mother's.
At this age (19) Bilawal is surely to be just a puppet and a symbol for the PPP. He's still too young to be an expert in political stratagem, especially in a politically complicated country like Pakistan.
Indeed Abdelilah... I felt naively fooled by the shining aura of Benazir. As you know, from Morocco to Pakistan we -muslims- are deperately looking for some succeding model of muslim progressive politicians who may show the way and emulate the political life in the Arab-Muslim worlds. This is yet another frustration added to so many others of leaders who failed to deliver or, when confronted with the reality of having to indure the reality of democratic rule of accountability and alternance in power, they showed their teeth and revieled their totalitarian, feudal, reactionary... reality.
Brilliant contribution as ever. Very grateful and happy new Muslim Year 1429!
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