Benazir Bhutto's return to Pakistan marks the culmination of a sickening political cycle with the Muslims of Pakistan. Egged on by much of the western media, Bhutto's false sense of triumphalism and that of her cronies has fooled no one. Bhutto has seized upon the desperation of General Pervaiz Musharraf to strike a deal. In the process Musharraf has shown, like Bhutto, he has absolutely no moral scruples or principles and will do whatever it takes to keep his grip on power. On many occasions in the past Musharraf repeatedly denounced Bhutto for her widely acknowledged corrupt past and vowed never to allow her a return to power. Bhutto too for her part has repeatedly parroted that she believed in ‘democracy' and would never deal with a ‘military dictator'. She has repeatedly called for Musharraf's removal. Yet, in 2007, both of them have opportunistically sought each other out in order to save their own skins. The biggest losers in all of this of course are the ordinary Muslims of Pakistan.
Bhutto has in the past few months shamelessly done the rounds in Washington and London to convince Musharraf's masters that she is their ideal candidate to deliver on their ‘War on Terror' agenda in Pakistan. Openly and unashamedly Bhutto effectively made her ‘manifesto' commitments on how she would deliver on Washington's agenda by allowing American strikes in Pakistan and turning over Dr A.Q Khan for questioning. This has cruelly brought home the fact that the people of Pakistan have no say in the choice of their rulers and are prevented from exercising their basic rights. Instead it is America and Britain that are helping to decide the fate of Pakistan and it's people. The fact that such a corrupt politician as Bhutto can again be seen by London and Washington as their best bet speaks volumes of their desperation to somehow keep Pakistan within their control. Western governments appear desperate in their attempts to prevent the increased politicisation of Muslims in Pakistan and the masses desire for an alternative to secular-civilian or military-rule.
Bhutto's past track record is clear for everyone to see. Installed twice as the Prime Minister of Pakistan in 1988 and 1993 she was unceremoniously removed after the failure of her regimes, mired in corruption scandals. In a country where corruption and nepotism are considered virtually a daily part of life, Bhutto and her cronies managed to define new levels of self indulgence and corruption as they looted the coffers of the state with open hands. Bhutto's husband, Asif Ali Zardari, earned himself the name of ‘Mr Ten Percent'; such was his eagerness in earning kickbacks and commissions in major deals done at the time. The Swiss bank accounts and the infamous deals that went hand in hand became synonymous with her sycophantic rule. Whether it was deals for new fighter jets to importing gold into Pakistan, Bhutto and her husband together turned Pakistan into their own private business as it's economy veered towards bankruptcy. No one will ever forget the infamous 355 acre British Rockwood mansion together with Zardari's stud farms, better known as the ‘Surrey Mahal' which they denied were theirs but eventually admitted to owning.
Bhutto stands convicted in a Swiss court on corruption charges with Spanish and Swiss investigators preparing further dossiers on further allegations. It was also not long ago that a British Home Secretary was also helping to investigate Bhutto's corruption. Yet today London itself has helped broker the deal with Musharraf. As part of her ‘reward' for the deal with Musharraf, Bhutto stands to regain the nearly £1 billion pounds in illicit wealth frozen in her family's Swiss bank accounts. Bhutto and her cronies can offer Pakistan nothing but more of the same. Musharraf's decree of the National Reconciliation Ordinance is effectively an amnesty for thieves such as Bhutto and others to get away completely free. Musharraf's actions have shown that there is no rule of law, only that which favours the rich and powerful.
On a policy level, Bhutto has repeatedly said she will fight Islamic extremism and control the Pakistan army. Yet it was under her second stint in power in 1996 that the Taliban were spawned and brought to power in Afghanistan with Pakistan's backing. Bhutto's self serving hypocrisy again demonstrates that politically she is nothing but an empty vessel who is more interested in regaining power at any cost rather than delivering policies of any substance or conviction.
Musharraf's deal with Bhutto under pressure from the West illustrates Musharraf's desperation and that of his regime. It is an open secret that British and American officials helped broker the deal. Musharraf has become deeply hated in Pakistan, especially in the aftermath of his Red Mosque massacre. Not withstanding his farcical re-election as President, Musharraf's continued u-turns and continuous alliance with America in her ‘War on Terror' are the reasons behind his political demise.
Teetering on the brink, Musharraf though remains America's best hope to deliver on it's agenda. By making an alliance with Bhutto, America hopes a secular orientated party will provide the cosmetic support for an otherwise hated regime and avoid having to resort to measures such as martial law or a state of emergency. It is almost a certainty that once this new arrangement is brought about with the all but predictable rigged elections in January 2008, Washington and London will want to see a return on their investment. This can only mean a renewed focus on attacking the tribal areas with vigour, spreading secularisation and immorality in society, clamping down on political dissent and anyone who opposes colonial interference in Pakistan.
The recent brutal air strikes by Pakistan's own air force in Mir Ali straight after the Presidential vote illustrate how Pakistan's rulers deem they must return the favours bestowed upon them by their masters. Musharraf's insane criminal actions are not only leading to more bloodshed but Musharraf's slavish behaviour also seriously risks uniting the Pashtun tribes in a greater rebellion based on nationalism, joining hands with the Baloch tribes who equally despise Islamabad's writ. Pakistan has been set on an extremely dangerous and perilous course, all designed to serve Western interests. At the expense of the blood of their own people, people such as Bhutto and Musharraf are ever ready to play fickle politics and be ready servants for the West. One can not think of people who can be any more despicable.
However, it is difficult to see Musharraf and Bhutto working together side by side for too long. Both are arrogant and power-driven. For them to share power with one another is in reality a remote possibility. Their agenda too is simply a narrow one; to serve America in her war on Islam. With such an arrangement having been forged, there is little chance of anything else. The only thing that this political marriage has guaranteed is more instability and turmoil in the coming months ahead.
The West has never had the interests of the Pakistani people at heart. No where else in the world in recent memory has such audacious political meddling taken place so openly. Bhutto and Musharraf though have shown themselves to be completely treacherous and self serving to tolerate and actively seek such meddling. Western governments have always backed dictatorships across the Muslim world to help ensure that it's interests are served. In the case of Pakistan this has been proven once again.
Pakistan's Muslims deserve a real change. That change and deliverance from the servitude of the West can only come about with the removal of such an inherently corrupt and self serving system and it's replacement by the Khilafah. This now is almost a reality. America and Britain know this too, that is why they are seeking desperate solutions to prevent the rise of the Khilafah. In the shape of Bhutto-Musharraf alliance they have only bought themselves a little more time, for the inevitable future lies with Muslims reclaiming their political destiny and the failure of colonialist inspired politics.
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