People Like You

I knew something was wrong as soon as I came out of the park I had just been running in. It is about a 5 minute walk to my house from where I was and through a hustling bustling street of shops which usually is crazy busy at 6:50pm. However today everything was closed, not just closed but dark and ghostly. People on the streets were hurrying around and it was an uneasy, eerie place to be.  I had only been in the park for 30 minutes.

My first thought was that something had happened in my neighbourhood, maybe the pizza hut next door had been robbed or something like that. But the truth of the situation became clear when I entered my front door….”Thank god you are here, Benazir is dead”. It was then an anxious wait for my last flat mate to return, who was partially caught up in the initial trouble. He eventually got home slightly shaken after having to leave his transport and walk the last 30 minutes.

My initial reaction was that it was a joke, closely followed by disbelief. It is one of those unbelievable situations. This person who has been such a central part of life in Pakistan since I arrived was shot and killed in a matter of minutes. It is a clear reminder of the fragility of life. Nowhere is it more of a reminder than in Karachi though.

Support for politicians is regionally concentrated in Pakistan and Benazir originates from the province of Sindh and lives in Karachi no more than 5 minutes from where I live.  Her popularity here was clearly shown in the welcome reception she received in October only for it to end in another instance of carnage after an attack on her life left 140 people dead.

So how does a country like Pakistan react to a tragedy like this? Well in the immediate aftermath rioting and protesting on the streets is to be expected as people express their grief and anger with what has happened. This is why the streets were empty, eerie and dark within minutes of the news. By now people know what to expect next. And for someone in the UK, this immediate reaction is difficult to relate to.

What is more these figures have dominated the political arena for the last 2 decades and the Bhutto family for the entirety of Pakistan’s lifetime. People are far more connected to the people than they are the policy, and for years a great many have put their trust in Benazir to bring stability and prosperity to Pakistan.

As a result for those who have grown up with Benazir and the other Bhuttos, she was a beacon of hope.  Many who feel frustrated, angry and bitter with the way things are in Pakistan lay the solutions to their struggles at her feet.  It is not the party, but the person that carries all of the answers, so for now I imagine her supporters feel that their hope for something better has been destroyed.

This is where their anger and grief, which to many in the UK might seem extreme, comes from. Not only this but it is fuelled by the personal relationship they have built with someone who seemed to understand their struggle so aptly. And sadly for the politics of Pakistan it is all too easy to start pointing the finger at someone, usually the someone who is in power. 

Three days of mourning

So what next for me? Well a three day mourning period has been declared by General Musharraf, which means the country will come to a standstill for its duration. With the streets still very much unsafe, I imagine we will be confined to our home for a while, at least until things calm down. That means movies, BBC news and books.

Andrew Webster

I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel a little nervous about the situation and the future. But then again the danger isn’t aimed at people like me. The only real danger to me is getting caught up in something accidently and with us locked up safely in our house it would be very difficult to get into too much trouble. 

Election on hold?

As for the next few weeks, well who knows? I can’t imagine that the election will go ahead, especially as 2 of the leading political parties have already announced a boycott on it following Benazir’s death. This could bring weeks of instability. But like the country I will just take one day at a time. I’ve become attached to Pakistan though, and the thought of leaving is a painful one and something I desperately don’t want to do.

But at least I know I have the option and can escape if the going gets too tough.  But in saying this a thought has to be given to the people of Pakistan who love their country, wouldn’t leave even if they could and want to see great things for its future.

Regardless of your position on Bhutto, it is a sad sad day for Pakistan and a huge step backwards in the country’s struggle for democracy. Let’s hope the people act with restraint in their reactions and that it is not too long before it gets back on the right track.

Andrew Webster, Karachi, Thursday 27th Decemeber, 2007