The Day Benazir Bhutto got Assassinated

Nine years ago on this fateful day, the 27^th of December, I remember it was a cold winter evening and I was waiting at a car repair workshop for my car to get fixed. Suddenly, I felt panic growing in the air. The mechanics and repairmen started running around informing each other of something tragic. The panic grew and people started leaving in their cars. After a few moments, a young mechanic came rushing to my car and uttered the words that were least expected. Benazir Bhutto, the twice elected and the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan has been assassinated in a political rally in Rawalpindi. I was in a state of shock and so was the mechanic who was working on my car. After recovering, I told the mechanic to wrap up the work, so that I rush home. Expecting violence from the party workers, everyone around started rushing. The fuel stations and markets started closing down and soon a strange lull surrounded us.

I came home and saw everyone sitting in front of the Television set. Everyone was saddened by the tragic news. A suicidebomber blew himself up at the end of the political rally at a local park in Rawalpindi. Ms. Benazir Bhutto was rushed to the Rawalpindi General Hospital (renamed: Benazir Bhutto Hospital)  but the doctors couldn’t revive her.

The year 2007 was drawing to a close. The democratic forces in the country were preparing for the General Elections to be held on 18^th February, 2008. The military dictatorship of President Musharraf was finally ending. However, it took away with it our beloved and the symbol of hope for the downtrodden segments of Pakistan.

Benazir Bhutto was definitely not an ordinary politician. She was daughter of the Ex-Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the man who is considered as the biggest benefactor of democracy in Pakistan. She was trained in politics under his wings and became a force to reckon with. Benazir felt the pain of the poor segments and continued with the slogan Roti, Kapra aur Makaan of his father (the basic requirements for the poor).

During the next few days violent factors created havoc in many cities, destroyed property, markets, banks and whatever they could. Since the General Elections were around the corner, the parties started their campaigns after a pause and things started to get better in a week or so and life returned to the streets.            

Looking back, I see nine years have passed in the blink of an eye. The assassination of Benazir Bhutto is a tremendous loss for Pakistan. She represented a liberal and a progressive Pakistan. The vacuum that has been left after her assassination is difficult or arguably impossible to fill.