Sunday Times | 17 February | Christina Lamb | Lahore
BENAZIR BHUTTO’S widowed husband Asif Ali Zardari has warned that Pakistan will face massive violence which could lead to its break-up if the government of President Pervez Musharraf carries out alleged plans to rig and disrupt tomorrow’s elections.
“Up till now I’ve shown absolute patience,” he said in an emotional interview with The Sunday Times last night as campaigning came to a close.
“My wife has been killed, yet I’ve calmed people down, stopped them protesting, I’ve called no strike. But I’m telling you, people are absolutely on the warpath. If the elections are rigged the situation will go out of my hands. We’ll have no choice but to take to the streets.”
Zardari was speaking after a suicide bombing outside election offices in northwest Pakistan left 37 dead, mostly members of his Pakistan People’s party (PPP), and heightened fears of polling day violence to deter voters. Ninety people were injured.
One suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden car into the crowd of PPP supporters as they prepared to take part in a celebratory meal. A second car bombing near a military checkpoint claimed another two deaths.
“They’ve killed 37 of my boys,” he said in a choked voice. “And I fear this is just the start.”
Zardari took over running Bhutto’s PPP, after her assassination six weeks ago, jointly with their son Bilawal who is studying at Oxford: “I feel her spirit is with me and I won’t let her down. But I fear they did not kill Benazir just to let us win . . .
“We’ve played our part responsibly. We’ve taken part in the elections rather than boycotted. Now it’s up to them to give us a free run. People are angry, they are on the breadline, despite the $60 billion [£30 billion] windfall Musharraf has enjoyed over the past eight years. They want change and they want democracy. If we’re allowed free and fair elections I’m 100% sure we will get a majority.”
Full story @ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3382320.ece
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