Wangari was the first to call me and tell me that Benazir Bhutto had been killed.  I did not believe her (thinking she misunderstood the urdu news )–because usually the suicide bombers miss the target and kill innocent civilians!

Once the news was confirmed, I felt sadness in my heart that a fellow member of humanity had lost her life unnecessarily.  I felt sad because she was a mother to someone…a sister…a wife…a daughter.

However, I did not feel sad for the loss of a politician in Pakistan or the loss of a ‘voice of the people’–as the media is touting.  Pakistan has been deprived of a leader that is sincere to the people for many years.  Benazir had been part of a legacy of politicians that have taken turns to loot the country for decades. In the history of Pakistan, whenever a person has come into power, they have done whatever it takes to further their personal interests–disregarding the interest of the ‘people’. 

Politics in Pakistan is a get-rich-quick scheme for the elite–and an opportunity to manipulate the masses.  Asif Zardari, husband of the late Benazir Bhutto–and now party (co)chairperson(!!!), had been imprisoned for several years on corruption charges (also accused of laundering $1.5 billion while his wife was the Prime Minister) and was widely thought to have mudered the brother of Benazir (while she was ruling).

I am not a supporter of any political party in Pakistan(as they are all the same) and have no hidden agenda, but am really frustrated on how the media conceals the truth to create a more newsworthy story.  Yes–Benazir has died, and I feel sadness for her family–but many innocent people have died in the last few days in Pakistan, in Afghanistan, in Iraq, etc—head of households barely making ends meet are dead now, their families have no where to go for help—but I suppose their blood is cheaper(?)