Corruption shadow casts Bhutto in a different light

Source: The Age

That one shouldn’t speak ill of the dead is conventional wisdom but conventional wisdom usually turns out to be an oxymoron. And so the dead Benazir Bhutto is now the “former prime minister of Pakistan” rather than “the fugitive facing corruption investigations in Spain, Britain and Switzerland” that she was a fortnight ago.

Corruption aside, Bhutto showed a remarkably cavalier disregard for the lives of even her own supporters. Guns of any make, either genuine or cheap local rip-offs, are freely available in Pakistan. The use of bombs has also become more widespread.

So when Bhutto arrived back in Pakistan in October, rather than being whisked by helicopter amid tight security from the airport to wherever she needed to be, she had her party organisers bus in 200,000 people to the route from the airport so the world’s television cameras could record her glorious return. The route was lengthened to heighten the drama of the procession. read more