Daily Times

Sir: I liked reading your news analysis, “Who Killed Benazir Bhutto?” and the editorial titled, “Benazir’s martyrdom: what next?” (Daily Times, December 29).

The question agitating my mind is this: why did not any journalist present at the PPP’s press conference in Naudero ask Asif Ali Zardari and Amin Fahim about Al Qaeda spokesman Mustafa Abu Al Yazid’s statement to the Italian news agency AKI that Al Qaeda had “terminated the most precious American asset, which vowed to defeat the mujahideen.”
Not only did Mr Zardari make no mention of the Al Qaeda spokesman’s claim, but also he also indirectly blamed the PMLQ, which he called the “Qatil League”.
As far as the question of who killed Benazir Bhutto is concerned, it would be wise to also ask: who killed late Liaquat Ali Khan, Dr Khan Sahib, Hayat Sherpao, Abdus Samad Achakzai, Khwaja Rafique, Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi, Zahoorul Hasan Bhopal and Murtuza Bhutto? And who attempted thrice to kill President Pervez Musharraf and former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz? Hardly any of these murder mysteries were solved, and very few real criminals punished.
Our political history is dotted by high profile political murders and internecine sectarian violence in which thousands of innocent lives have been lost due to religious and political extremisms. The need of the hour is to restore sanity and tolerance, move towards reconciliation in the body politic, and inject positive thinking to curb negativity, and political hysteria.
MASOODUL HASAN SHAH
Karachi