Bombs Over Karachi

"I can see body parts strewn all over the road," said CNN''s correspondant, "There are dead bodies everywhere. ... It is a large-scale attack, by the looks of things."

The latest count as per Geo TV was 200 dead, 500 injured.  As Benazir Bhutto makes her return to Pakistan after 8 years in exile, she was recieved by thousands of people, and 2 suicide bombers.  One of the bombs was right next to her bullet-proof vehicle, which shattered the windows, rattlin the passengers, but thankfully left Benazir unharmed.  However the other 200 people who died, and 500 who suffered injury did not fare so well.  What kind of nation or polictical situation victims 1000 of their citizens and people for such mindless violence?  Under what ideals, religion, or political incentive validates such terrorism?  Wolf Blitzer called Pakistan's politics "Risky Business."  That is an understatement.  Benazir new of death threats before returning to her home soil, but does one ever expect to be so close to carnage, death, and chaos?  Pakistan's politics is hardly your run of the mill "democracy," it is more like anarchy that is attempting to find some sort of light at the end of a disturbing tunnel of violence, corruption, and political and cultural rivalry.  It pains me to see my home country amidst such chaos and bloodshed. 

Now people may have different views on Benazir's political stance and ideals, and her party's outlook for the future.  Forget about whether or not you support her or oppose her.  That is fine.  That is healthy politics.  Her return should have marked a forward step in the growth of Paikistan's democratic process regardless of what one feels about her.  But was she met with cheers, opposition, debate, voting, and democracy? No...  This was all overcome by two fucking suicide bombers.  This makes me sad.  And of course it is all over the news now. But in a week's time, it will be gone.  If something like this happened in America or the UK, I can't even begin to imagine the repercussions.  In Pakisan, it is has almost become a part of daily life in politics.... I am fearful for my nation.

As painful as it was, it almost humorred me hearing someone speak from London, regarding a bomb blast there that was followed in minutes by police, security, crime scene agents, in taking away the injured, closing off the area, collecting all the viable evidence, and starting the process of finding out what happened.  In Pakistan, they can't even protect the goddamn motorcade!  It was moving through a sea of people, slower than walking speed!  How the hell did they expect to stop a guy with a bomb coming right up to the car?  And after the incident, what?  Thankfully many injured (probably not all that COULD have been saved) were taken away  to hospitals.  And then what?  You think there is some CSI unit in Karachi to collect evidence? Please. Even if they did, what are they goin to do? Prosecute the Taliban? Track down those responsible for the bombing and put them in jail?  My friends, we are far and away from a country that holds any sort of legitimate democratic process.  My prayers go out to all those injured in this blast, and for that matter, victims of all the other mindless "political" violence that has-and will-occur.

Comments

[iqbal]

Heard you....

Very well expressed - I have ditto emotions and so thousands of other Pakistanis...

[Humz]

I think the people of Pakistan need to understand the definition of Democracy. They consider themselves a democratic country -funny considering President Musharraf has been in power since 1999, not to mention Pakistan has been under military rule for over 30 years since its independence. No wonder they are not progressing as a country.