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Travels and tears - Adieu Benazir Bhutto
This blogger has been travelling since the last two weeks: visiting the various Sufi shrines in India and meeting up old and new friends. And, after years of silence, my inner music found a voice. But the gods had other plans.
Since the 27th of that wretched December, everything has been overshadowed by the ghastly murder of Pakistan’s best known and perhaps the only national leader.
I was in Ajmer Sharif, India, on my annual visit to pay respects to the great Khawaja when I heard about this ghastly incident. Having returned from the famous dua-i-roshnaye (the pre-sunset prayer), the state of calm, my friends and I were jolted by this news. For the first few minutes I could not believe it and hoped that this was a repeat of the October 18th suicide bombings where Benazir Bhutto was miraculously saved. But it turned out to be horrifyingly real and painful. I was numb for a few minutes and thought of my beloved homeland and our collective lives.
To say that this was a great loss would be an understatement. Benazir was always a symbol of hope and change; and to imagine a country without hope is pretty drastic. Thus the shattering of the individual and collective hope, the faces of her three young children and her larger than life, and beautiful persona mingled with tears and a deep pain that refuses to go away.
My leader is not dead, she is immortal now - she faced the bullets with grace and proved that she was the most courageous Pakistani politician of the recent times. Pity for Pakistan that lost her.
January 6th, 2008 at 4:41 am
Dear Raza,
I was numb too for few minutes. Despite everything (corruption charges) she was the biggest need of Pakistan at this moment.
Benazir of 2007 was way mature and diplomatic than Benazir of 1997. She was playing her cards very wisely and accept or not, she was turning into a geniune political leader of high calibre - She became darling of the west too and with her western background, Pakistan would have benefited a lot as she be the prime minister. She was the leader of the most popular ’secular’ party of Pakistan. Her assaissination is a big blow to the basic foundation of “Jinnah’s Pakistanâ€. Her death has thrown Pakistan more towards orthodox and dictatorial rule as we known zardari will destroy PPP and now only one party left and that party is “Pakistan Army inc.â€. (Don’t forget Nawaz is just a businessman).
Unfortunately, if she was an evil (as few continue to sing) - she was a lesser evil.
God bless Pakistan !!
January 6th, 2008 at 9:40 am
It was so nice to see you!
I sincerely hope that Pakistan and its people shall emerge stronger from the current state of turmoil.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:40 am
Yes, courage is what distinguish her from the rest.
January 6th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
mystic saheb: how well said.
Sidhusaaheb: it was great meeting you though the memories of that discussion are now overshadowed by the tragic events..
Shirazi bhai- absolutely….
January 6th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
It is so sad and strange how in the political realm, since I was a child, the very leaders who are authentic and truly concerned about the people appear to be the ones most likely to be assassinated.
Her courage reminds me of Martin Luther King, in my country. Each of them received numerous death threats/attempts and each simply went on in their paths for as long as they possibly could. Each, I’m sure, knew profoundest peace despite the turmoil surrounding them.
January 7th, 2008 at 4:05 am
[...] Raza Rumi writes about his feeling when he heard the sad news of assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. He was in Ajmer Sharrif on his annual visit to pay his respect to Khawaja. This post offers us the real feeling of a Pakistani with out any adulteration of any conspiracy theory. Its worth reading, you can find the post here. [...]
January 7th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
I’m sorry that BB is no longer among us.
January 8th, 2008 at 9:37 am
[...] Travels and tears - Adieu Benazir Bhutto Travels and tears - Adieu Benazir Bhutto This blogger has been travelling since the last two weeks: visiting the various Sufi shrines in India and meeting up old and new friends. And, after years of silence, my inner music found a voice. But the gods had other plans. Since the 27th of that wretched December, everything has been overshadowed by the ghastly murder of Pakistan’s best known and perhaps the only national leader. I was in Ajmer Sharif, India, on my annual visit to pay respects t [...]
January 9th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Another martyr for Pakistan.