The Bhutto family -a family accursed?

Benazir Bhuttos mother, Nusrat-now 78 years old - has lost her husband, elder daughter and two sons in tragic circumstances. Just one daughter, Sanam, survives.

Benazir Bhutto was the eldest child of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Begum Nusrat Bhutto . She had two brothers and one sister. Her father Zulfikar was prime minister of Pakistan in the early 1970s

Mr Bhutto was imprisoned by Gen Zia ul-Haq in 1977 following a military coup and charged with conspiracy to murder. Bhutto argued that the army had fabricated the evidence. Two years later he was executed.

His son Murtaza Bhutto fled to Afghanistan after his father's fall.
From exile in 1993 he won a seat in the assembly governing Sindh province. He returned home soon afterwards. On 20 September 1996 in Karachi, he was shot and killed along with six supporters during a clash with the police. Benazir Bhutto rushed to the city when told about the encouner. Begum Nusrat, mother of Murtaza, was in London.

Benazir Bhutto was the prime minister of Pakistan at the time of Murtaza Bhutto's killing. The brother and sister were political rivals at the time.
Ms Bhutto's husband, Asif Zardari has spent a total of 11 years in prison on various charges without ever being convicted.

The youngest of the four Bhutto children, Shahnawaz, was also politically active.
He was found dead in his apartment in southern France in 1985. He died in mysterious circumstances.

Benazir, the eldest Bhutto child, had already survived an attempt on her life when she returned to Pakistan after eight years of self-imposed exile in October.
c 130 people died in the twin suicide bombings targeting her homecoming rally in Karachi. Finally the assassin murdered Benazir in Rawalpindi on December 27th and succeeded in destroying the Bhutto political dynasty . It is difficult not to argue that a curse has befallen the family.

Assassination of Benazir Bhutto shocks the world

The murder of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in a gun and bomb attack after a rally in the city of Rawalpindi has shocked the world. She was killed by bullet wounds to the neck and chest. The suicide bomber then blew himself up. A suicide bomber killed nearly 150 people in an attack on Bhutto on Oct. 18 as she paraded through the southern city of Karachi after returning home from eight years in self-imposed exile. These attacks were probably the work of religious extremists though Bhutto supporters blame the Government.

It will of course be argued that Benazir failed to take sufficient precautions to ensure her security. Nevertheless she argued with some justification that that it was necessary reach out to the electorate. According to Pakistan Peoples Party supporters the Musharraf government failed to provide jammers. These would stymie suicide bombers. Musharraf now faces even greater international odium. This attack reinforces the impression amongst many in the international community that Pakistan is a pariah state. This is most unfair as the overwhelming majority of the electorate is moderate in outlook. Her charisma drove the Pakistan Peoples party forward. She was a symbol of moderation and modernity. Benazir is a martyr for Pakistani democracy.

Earlier today Thursday at least four people were killed ahead of an election rally that Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was preparing to attend close to Rawalpindi. Nawaz Sharif is leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (N). This attack has received little coverage but is also highly significant.

This is a dangerous time not alone for Pakistan but for world peace.
Serious questions arise:

1. Can the Pakistan Peoples Party(PPP) recover from this shattering blow?
2. Will the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) unite or collaborate strongly to restore democracy?
3. Whilst both parties represent different constituencies can they sink their differences in the interests of Pakistani democracy?
4. Could Pakistan plunge into civil war?
5. If so will terrorists get their hands on some of Pakistan's nuclear weapons?
6. Will the armed forces remove Musharraf?
7. Will elections -due on January 8th- be cancelled?
8. Was there collusion between some elements in the military and the terrorists?