M A I L B A G

No one knows how to tackle Pak crisis

HK. Dua’s front-page editorial, “The cauldron called Pakistan: Irrelevance of Musharraf” (Dec 29), will help generate people’s awareness of the explosive situation in Pakistan and its repercussions on India. The related reports and features in The Tribune are a befitting tribute to Benazir Bhutto, Daughter of the East, who kept her father’s political legacy alive in a male-dominated society.

Mr Dua has rightly expressed his apprehensions that no one in Pakistan, or the world outside, really knows how to pull the country out of the crisis. I think Benazir’s death will make the democratic institutions, political parties, intellectuals, and, most important, the people of Pakistan close their ranks and not let the fundamentalists destroy the country’s burning spirit of democracy.

Dr VITULL K. GUPTA, Bathinda

II

The US strategy of fighting Islamic extremism through Pakistan President Musharraf has failed miserably. He can’t be relied upon as he is power hungry and can do anything to cling on to his chair with or without uniform.

Now the President’s days are numbered and people will teach him a fitting lesson if the elections, postponed to February 18, are really held in a “free, fair, transparent and peaceful manner.” Clearly, the US will not be in a position to save him anymore.

S.K. MITTAL, Panchkula

III

I agree with Mr Dua’s opinion that Benazir’s assassination has demolished US-sponsored Musharraf’s civil façade of exported democracy. The need of the hour is to emasculate Pakistan’s feudal landholdings owned by Army chiefs, serving or retired. Nehru eliminated these buds of military dictators in 1950 which today are the bedrock of our democracy.

President Musharraf would do well to remember that dictatorship is bad, military dictatorship is worse, and Pakistan’s proxy-military dictatorship is worst.

PRAN SALHOTRA, Gurdaspur

IV

Benazir Bhutto’s assassination is a big blow to Pakistan. I doubt whether democracy can be really restored there. What kind of democracy does President Musharraf assure to his people when the judiciary has been emasculated and jehadis are getting stronger day by day?

Benazir Bhutto tried her best to revive democracy in the strife-torn country and she went down fighting with the terrorists. As Pakistan is in great turmoil, India needs to be vigilant and tread with caution.

Maj NARINDER SINGH JALLO (retd) Mohali

V

I admire Benazir’s courageous return to Pakistan to contest the election despite knowing full well the danger to her life. She risked her life to restore peace and democracy in Pakistan. She could not see the people’s sufferings in the hands of extremists and fanatics. It is now in the hands of her supporters to come together and fight the cowards who killed her and make her vision a reality.

SURAJ R. KAPOOR, Solan

VI

Even if it is true that the terrorists had vowed to kill Benazir, the Musharraf regime cannot be absolved from the blame. When the homecoming rally of Benazir was attacked on October 18, she blamed former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhary Pervez Ilahi. Thus, one cannot overlook this angle in any discussion on Benazir’s assassination. Today, it has become a fashion to hold the supposed Islamic extremists responsible for every act of violence in the world.

SANDEEP GHIYA, Mumbai

VII

President George Bush buys terror to fight terror. He has adopted an Army General in Pakistan where terrorism is manufactured on a mass scale. The US President played a nefarious game by making a clay shooting pigeon of poor Benazir and placed her on Musharraf’s shooting range. Since he is an expert shooter, it was a matter of one or two aims to hit the target. The Pakistan government is now doing stories on Benazir’s dastardly killing.

KRISHAN MURARI BANSAL, Chandigarh

VIII

Since Pakistan was created, its history has been very violent. Almost three Prime Ministers have been killed or executed or forced into exile. Democracy has totally failed there and no democratic government has been able to complete its full term by the Army.

The concept of democracy has failed in Pakistan because its people do not enjoy human rights, freedom and dignity. Our full sympathy goes to the people of Pakistan. Democracy must return to Pakistan for which Benazir sacrificed her life. The rule of tyranny must end and those responsible for her death must be severely punished.

S.P. SHARMA, Mumbai