Pakistani politics (catch all)

[jcustis]

CNN's reporting a bomb detonated near the Bhutto convoy recently, killing over 110 people. Seems someone isn't happy she returned.

[davidbfpo]

From the (London) Daily Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...18/wpak418.xml

This takes you to a report on the bombing in Karachi, Q & A on Benazir Bhutto and newsreek of the attack.

Note Benazir Bhutto's husband blamed an un-named Pakistani intelligence agency; if true - "large pinch of salt" required - they killed twenty plus police officers and over a hundred civilians.

davidbfpo

[davidbfpo]

From a previously unknown website:

http://www.pakistanpolicy.com/

A longer report, analysis and comment. Anyone read this site before? 'Home' refers to tewo authors both Pakistanis based in the USA.

davidbfpo

[jcustis]

It seems a smaller explosion drew the cameras' attention to the second, larger and more destructive one. How does that sound David?

I'm curious to know how close Bhutto was to being killed, and what the effect of that might have been. She may be meeting destiny anyway in the coming weeks and months, but what would her death do to Pakistan across the longer term?

[goesh]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21374344/

"Bhutto: No surrender to militants
Former Pakistani prime minister says two plotters thwarted in deadly blast"

[davidbfpo]

It seems a smaller explosion drew the cameras' attention to the second, larger and more destructive one. How does that sound David?

I'm curious to know how close Bhutto was to being killed, and what the effect of that might have been. She may be meeting destiny anyway in the coming weeks and months, but what would her death do to Pakistan across the longer term?

From JCustis

There has now been an explosion in news reporting and comment.

The original reporting suggested two explosions, one originating from a parked vehicle and the other by a suicide bomber. Now it is reported two suicide bombers, with several heads recovered. In Benazir Bhutto's TV speech she stressed why had the street lights gone out just before the attack and so reduced her security. Latest reports are that her security "stood firm" and stopped the second bomber. A bomber with 14 kilos of explosive, so a large bomb (true Stan?).

The slow passage of the her convoy through packed crowds is hardly an easy task for securing any VIP movement, let alone in Pakistan where the threat was so high. Hence the use of the high platform armoured truck and the lucky timing she was on the toilet at the time of the attack. The loss of lighting at the time of the attack suggests - to this "armchair" commentator - that the attackers timed the attack at the location - without sight of the target!

Ms Bhutto was lucky this time. I am no bomb expert, would she have survived sitting high up in an armoured truck? Let alone any secondary explosions - with shrapnel etc. I had the impression the cameras noted the first smaller and then went to the larger vehicle fireball - a secondary explosion (as reported now, not initially).

On the camera aspect now. After five hours slow progress and several camera teams in the convoy further back - the first explosion would alert the cameramen. Did they note the street lighting failure?

The death of Benazir Bhutto would mean her party, PPP, would have no leader and little popular appeal to the electorate - in the parliamentary elections due in January 2008. She is the "glue" holding it together and probably the chief reason the PPP gets funding (a proportion from abroad).

Dispite all her faults I feel her murder would make secular and parliamentary politics very difficult to sustain in Pakistan. As Nawaz Sharif has been excluded from Pakistan - what choice would the Pakistani voter have? Very little. Musharraf's party has little credibility.

Campaigning for Ms Bhutto in the election campaign now becomes problematical. No more "pressing the flesh" and public kept back at meetings.

If the state / party cannot protect such a figure as Ms Bhutto, will anyone else come forward?

In a perverse way given that the secular parties have substantial support and few Pakistanis want to see a Taliban like regime - the murder of Ms Bhutto could strengthen secular rule - if someone takes the lead. Not Musharraf!

davidbfpo

[goesh]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21416647/

"Pakistan: No foreign involvement in blast probe
Bhutto seeks help with investigation into bloody attack that targeted her

Updated: 1 hour, 29 minutes ago
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - A senior government official on Monday rejected a call from former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto for U.S. and British experts to help investigate the devastating suicide attack on her homecoming procession."

She ain't too bright IMO.