Assassination of Benazire Bhutto

Evangelical leader expresses condolences to the family of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and the nation of Pakistan - by Michael Ireland - December 2007

"The murder of former Prime Minister is one of the most tragic events in the history of Pakistan," said the Rev. Johan Candelin, Executive Director of World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty Commission. Candelin is known as a "Goodwill Ambassador" on behalf of persecuted Christians.

"After working together with Mrs. Bhutto for democracy for several years I can say that her importance for democracy and human rights in Pakistan can never be underestimated."

2007

Pakistan in crisis: situation critical - Elizabeth Kendall - May 2007

Pakistan's present state of crisis is not going to be a quick violent spasm because it is not an anomaly. Rather, it is the inevitable consequence of at least two and a half decades of systematic state and Saudi sponsored (Sunni) Islamisation which has continued post 9/11 despite all the rhetoric to the contrary.

Since 9/11 Pakistan's President Musharraf has persistently played two hands at once. Musharraf, a military general who seized power in a military coup, has allied Pakistan with the US in the War on Terror in exchange for military aid. Meanwhile he has allied himself to the pro-Sharia, pro-Taliban, Islamist Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA: an alliance of six Islamist parties) in exchange for votes in the National Assembly.

2006

Musharraf's manoeuvring - Elizabeth Kendall - December 2006

In mid-2002 Musharraf, who seized power in a military coup on 1999, announced that national and provincial elections would be held on 10 October 2002. He also announced that there would be changes to the constitution. The proposed constitutional amendment, known as the Legal Framework Order (LFO), would entrench military supremacy over the parliament.

All opposition parties were united in their opposition to the LFO. Musharraf was in desperate need of a partner who could be convinced to enter a marriage of convenience and support his LFO and thus end the political crisis, as Musharraf's PML-Q could not rule outright.

Musharraf also needed to cultivate a climate of fear, a sense of impending peril, in order to legitimise his military rule and secure US support. He knew the Islamists, who are closely linked to the military, could be both a partner and a perceived threat. And so the 2002 elections were rigged to ensure the Mutahida Majlis Amal (MMA: an alliance of six hard-line Islamist parties) would be available as a force in parliament which could be both manipulated and portrayed as a great Islamist threat.