Wether we liked her or not, as I did not agree 100% with her politics, she was a respected politician who regardless of where one stood on the political scale was well respected, talented, charismatic and intelligent. Despite her failings, these protests and the outcry have proven that she had mass appeal in the Pakistani public and this support transcended national, provincial and ethnic boundaries. In fact many of her former staunchest opposition, welcomed her as the person capable of ousting the much disliked dictator musharaf.
I offer my condolensces to her family, party and the people of Pakistan in such a difficult time.
Terrorism, loss of innocent lives and violent methodology must be condemned in all its facets irrespective of who it affects. Individuals who support it, encourage it should be prosecuted and dealt with accordingly.
The increasing violence and spill over effect from Afghanistan and the consequences of joining the ''War on Terror'' are putting severe strains on Pakistan. Just to remind everyone, Pakistan has lost more troops due to the war in neighbooring Afghanistan then all the international coalition forces combined, a point often overlooked with all the finger pointing was being done against the country. This country has sacrificed so much, and has put so much on the line while functioning on limited resources and social indicator at par with some parts of Africa.
Furthermore, continual American interference have wreaked havoc in the country. What Pakistan does need, is institutionalized support and aid without strings having been a trusted and often neglected ally for some 60 years now. Its people and its institutions are crying out for help, and that help should be delivered to this nation of great potential.
I think at this critical juncture, Pakistan needs to assess its own national issues, and perhaps scale down its support for the war on terror vis-a-vis Afghanistan and begin focussing on its own internal issues, nation building and the restoration of democracy. It should focus on sealing its border with Afghanistan until terrorist acts dramatically decrease and taking down the many militant and former American funded/established ex-Mujahideen forces/camps now better armed than the Pakistani forces. Stability is the key and will have a resounding effect in the region as well as across the border in Afghanistan. Stability, peace and effective democracy will have a more resounding effect then what military operations can achieve. Armed actions will only result in armed retribution particularly when it comes to the Martial legacy of the Pakistani people and of those in neighbooring Afghanistan. The destiny of both country's are intertwinned, and what Pakistan can offer the most is stability, a healthy economy, prosperity, peace, and institutions. Pakistan neither has the financial resources and its western backed dictator the credibility to garner support for what is proving to be a very dangerous mission this ''War on terror''.
) but she was also responsible for the acquisition of North Korean Rodong IRBM technology leading to the development of the first operational long range missile in Pakistan's arsenal, the Ghauri. In fact Benazir was not so bad at all since she acknowledged at least during her second term that a national nuclear deterrent was a ´conditio sine qua non´ for confronting India's ruthless threats. Nevertheless it is indeed very questionable that she would have had the determination to carry out nuclear tests during a situation of maximum pressure by the US administration like Nawaz Sharif was facing back in '98.