They don’t blame Al-Qa’ida. They blame Musharraf: Robert Fisk

By Robert Fisk Published in The Independent UK.

This is an article worth reading where Robert Fisk places the right questions, we genuinely believe its not the work of Al-Qa’ida but instead an outcome of Musharraf’s eight year rule, few recent links here and here while this blog is full of statements condemning Musharraf practically since its inception in 2004. So as they say the writing was on the wall, only if someone dared to read the wall is the question, as they say better late then never but please save my country from the brink of disaster

Weird, isn’t it, how swiftly the narrative is laid down for us. Benazir Bhutto, the courageous leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, is assassinated in Rawalpindi attached to the very capital of Islamabad wherein ex-General Pervez Musharraf lives and we are told by George Bush that her murderers were “extremists” and “terrorists”. Well, you can’t dispute that.

But the implication of the Bush comment was that Islamists were behind the assassination. It was the Taliban madmen again, the al-Qa’ida spider who struck at this lone and brave woman who had dared to call for democracy in her country.

Of course, given the childish coverage of this appalling tragedy and however corrupt Ms Bhutto may have been, let us be under no illusions that this brave lady is indeed a true martyr it’s not surprising that the “good-versus-evil” donkey can be trotted out to explain the carnage in Rawalpindi.

Who would have imagined, watching the BBC or CNN on Thursday, that her two brothers, Murtaza and Shahnawaz, hijacked a Pakistani airliner in 1981 and flew it to Kabul where Murtaza demanded the release of political prisoners in Pakistan. Here, a military officer on the plane was murdered. There were Americans aboard the flight which is probably why the prisoners were indeed released.

Only a few days ago in one of the most remarkable (but typically unrecognised) scoops of the year Tariq Ali published a brilliant dissection of Pakistan (and Bhutto) corruption in the London Review of Books, focusing on Benazir and headlined: “Daughter of the West”. In fact, the article was on my desk to photocopy as its subject was being murdered in Rawalpindi.

Towards the end of this report, Tariq Ali dwelt at length on the subsequent murder of Murtaza Bhutto by police close to his home at a time when Benazir was prime minister and at a time when Benazir was enraged at Murtaza for demanding a return to PPP values and for condemning Benazir’s appointment of her own husband as minister for industry, a highly lucrative post.

In a passage which may yet be applied to the aftermath of Benazir’s murder, the report continues: “The fatal bullet had been fired at close range. The trap had been carefully laid, but, as is the way in Pakistan, the crudeness of the operation false entries in police log-books, lost evidence, witnesses arrested and intimidated a policeman killed who they feared might talk made it obvious that the decision to execute the prime minister’s brother had been taken at a very high level.”

When Murtaza’s 14-year-old daughter, Fatima, rang her aunt Benazir to ask why witnesses were being arrested rather than her father’s killers she says Benazir told her: “Look, you’re very young. You don’t understand things.” Or so Tariq Ali’s expose would have us believe. Over all this, however, looms the shocking power of Pakistan’s ISI, the Inter Services Intelligence.

This vast institution corrupt, venal and brutal works for Musharraf.

But it also worked and still works for the Taliban. It also works for the Americans. In fact, it works for everybody. But it is the key which Musharraf can use to open talks with America’s enemies when he feels threatened or wants to put pressure on Afghanistan or wants to appease the ” extremists” and “terrorists” who so oppress George Bush. And let us remember, by the way, that Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter beheaded by his Islamist captors in Karachi, actually made his fatal appointment with his future murderers from an ISI commander’s office. Ahmed Rashid’s book Taliban provides riveting proof of the ISI’s web of corruption and violence. Read it, and all of the above makes more sense.

But back to the official narrative. George Bush announced on Thursday he was “looking forward” to talking to his old friend Musharraf. Of course, they would talk about Benazir. They certainly would not talk about the fact that Musharraf continues to protect his old acquaintance a certain Mr Khan who supplied all Pakistan’s nuclear secrets to Libya and Iran. No, let’s not bring that bit of the “axis of evil” into this.

So, of course, we were asked to concentrate once more on all those ” extremists” and “terrorists”, not on the logic of questioning which many Pakistanis were feeling their way through in the aftermath of Benazir’s assassination.

It doesn’t, after all, take much to comprehend that the hated elections looming over Musharraf would probably be postponed indefinitely if his principal political opponent happened to be liquidated before polling day.

So let’s run through this logic in the way that Inspector Ian Blair might have done in his policeman’s notebook before he became the top cop in London.

Question: Who forced Benazir Bhutto to stay in London and tried to prevent her return to Pakistan? Answer: General Musharraf.

Question: Who ordered the arrest of thousands of Benazir’s supporters this month? Answer: General Musharraf.

Question: Who placed Benazir under temporary house arrest this month? Answer: General Musharraf.

Question: Who declared martial law this month? Answer General Musharraf.

Question: who killed Benazir Bhutto?

Er. Yes. Well quite.

You see the problem? Yesterday, our television warriors informed us the PPP members shouting that Musharraf was a “murderer” were complaining he had not provided sufficient security for Benazir. Wrong. They were shouting this because they believe he killed her.

Comments

2 responses to “They don’t blame Al-Qa’ida. They blame Musharraf: Robert Fisk”

  1. Jawan Avatar
    Jawan

    Killer is the same person who is occupying the presidency illegally. The same one who has thrown the honourable judges of superior judiciary and put them under house arrest? The same one who ordered 12 May massacre and subsequently refused judicial inquiary. The person who ordered invasion of GEO TV in Islamabad and ransacked it thus threatening its management and staff. The same hand ordered the media men to be taught a lesson on Nov 27 and journalists were beaten all over constitutional avenue. The man on whose orders, thousands of lawyers and civil society members were arrested and thus denied the right of peaceful demonstration for their rights & restoration of judiciary. This person was quite jealous of BB because his master i.e. US had great liking for her and she enjoyed international stature which he did not. All he had at his disposal was the slavery of USA and UK. He was good for nothing but was meant for obeying his master’s commands and he promptly obliged.

    This man knew that US administration had finally decided for a change and were bringing in BB in order to slowly but peacefully bring about smooth change and sideline him till final exit in a years time. Since he dare not even think of a moment when he was without official protection as he already had created so many enemies all over Pakistan who would love to lay their hands upon him once rid of official protection.

    This man is a dictator, mentally incapacitated, and a maniac. He want to cling to the power at whatever cost because he knows his fate. He is afraid of populer political leadership becuse that will not follow his orders as easily as the ATM Shaoukat Aziz and PHF Jamali did. He loves peole like Choudhries, Sher Afgans, Faisal Saleh, Sherpao, Ejaz Ul Haq, MQM, Wasi Zafer,Durrani, Shaikh Rasheed, Hirajs, Rao Sikander, Choudhry Shahbaz and like of those because for them he is godfather. They cannot survive without him. They get excited with every illegal, unconstitutional and unethical move that the dictator makes and love to coverup with lies later on the media.

    The dictator forced electronic media shut down for a long time to punish them to show the nation his true face. Later, he made sure that these channels are forced to show only programs that he liked and all those that he did not like, were banned. Geo tv is still paying the price for trying to expose the dictator and his allies.

    This man, despite repeated appeals from BB, refused to form a neutral caretaker setup and refused to appoint an independant trust worthy Chief Election Commisioner. He refused to provide VVIP security for BB even when Federal Interior Secretary sent the proposal in writing for approval with positive recommendations. The dictator insisted to have a caretaker govt comprising of his own persoanl friends and confidees. Like every dictator, he does not pay any heed to demand of civil society, lawyers and political leaders.

    If we compare, Gen Ayub was far better than him. Once he realised that the nation was calling him on the streets ” Ayub Kutta”, he resigned. This dictator has been called by so many names by so many people but he is not moved. Why? Becuase he is himself a prisoner of his own misdoings now. He cannot come out of it as USA will make sure that he does not. He knows too much and therefore worth disposal for USA and not worthy of giving a retired life. He will serve the purpose till the time a suitableperson replaces him. This change is going to be political. Then he will be finally sent home in six months to one year time by his masters.

    Therefore, dear Pakistanis please forget about fair elections under him. He would go to any extent to make sure that the results are such that suit to his future plans and designs. Killing of BB is one example of how serious the regime is to ensure that no worthy leader can come in power and is able to challenge him. Even if PPP takes a lead now in the elections with the the help the sympathy wave, who will be its leader and will he be able to pose the same challenge to his authority as BB moght have?

    But even for the dictator, the going is pretty tough these days. His face has the whole story written upon it these days. Try and have a closer look at it next time you see him on TV.

  2. shobz Avatar

    Screw Musshy. He is responsible for all the problems in Pakistan. I can’t believe how his party of merry men are trying to pin the blame on others and coming up with really dumb answers. Did anyone check out the press conference on the 28th of December? The spokesperson was being a stubborn ass by sticking to his guns despite the volley of questioning by the press.He couldn’t provide the answers and kept beating around the bush. It was apparent that there was a big coverup when BB was murdered in cold blood. The military dictator will do anything to stay in power. Rot in hell u bastard.