Pakistan's Darkest Hour

“This is exactly why so many Muslim countries are lagging behind, woefully inept. It isn’t the most qualified that get the positions, it is your family or those who can bribe you. This is how you get people who do not even have university educations running technology programs, health departments, engineering projects. It is no wonder that even if things get done, they get done poorly and cost way too much." Abu Sinan (comment on Umar Lee's blog).

I think Brother Abu Sinan's comment has hit the nail on the head. Pakistan has long had a small group of families dominating politics, business and the military, Benazir hailed from one of them and certainly did nothing to change the old guard of elites. I am convinced that if change is to come to Pakistan it will have to come through someone entirely new, rather than the same old group of politicians that have been around in some post or other over the last 40-odd years.

My in-laws in Lahore and family in Karachi are house-bound right now, their businesses are shut, their children not able to go school. The Hujjaj due to go back to Pakistan are now stuck at the airports as no flights can land at Karachi. My articulate, intelligent uncle in Karachi tells us he does not have words to describe the level of madness and savagery that have gripped his city. Millions of dollars worth of damage to banks, hospitals, businesses and people’s homes and cars.

I pray that Allah showers mercy on this country in what must be its darkest hour. There are bad people there, but there are also those that are good beyond measure. Sorry for the miserable post, but the last few days have been very sad ones for me, especially when I think of the sacrifices that people made for the birth of this country.

There is a very interesting article about Benazir Bhutto by the excellent William Dalrymple here (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2233334,00.html) and another very good article by the novelist Kamila Shamsie here http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2233402,00.html .