Making sense of the Musharraf indictment

Yes, Musharraf didn't provide sufficient security to Bhutto and regarded her with great disdain, but did he kill her?


Michael Kugelman August 23, 2013
The writer is the South Asia associate at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC

On August 19, Nawaz Sharif addressed the nation. He spoke of staggering challenges: a paralysed economy, a crippling energy crisis, the existential threat of terrorism. The implication: there’s much to be done, with not a moment to lose. The very next day, Pervez Musharraf was charged in connection with the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Is this unprecedented indictment of a former army chief a resounding victory for democracy in Pakistan? Absolutely.

But is it also an ill-timed move that smacks of revenge politics? Certainly. What else to make of the fact that the leader of a cash-starved, energy-deprived, militancy-choked, flood-ravaged nation has chosen this moment to pursue the man who overthrew him from power nearly 15 years ago?

Now to the heart of the matter: is there enough evidence for a conviction? Let’s start with what we know. For years, Pakistan has contended that the Pakistani Taliban carried out the attack that killed Bhutto. This may well be true. Yet, if non-state militants pulled the trigger, was someone else pulling the strings behind the opaque curtain of the state? It’s quite possible. But there’s little reason to think it was Musharraf himself.

Certainly, the former strongman is no angel. One could easily argue he didn’t provide sufficient security to Bhutto, someone he regarded with great disdain. Bhutto herself famously sent an email to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer in which she said that, were she to be killed, she wanted Musharraf held responsible. This is unsettling stuff. But it doesn’t prove culpability. Now consider the 2010 UN investigation of the Bhutto assassination, which is once again in the news with the recent publication of a Foreign Affairs article by lead investigator Heraldo Munoz. The attack was executed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Munoz writes, and “possibly backed or at least encouraged by elements of the establishment”. One of his most striking conclusions: Pakistan “deliberately botched” its official investigation.

An essay by Owen Bennett-Jones, published late last year in London Review of Books, raises more troubling questions about possible state complicity. After an unsuccessful attempt on Bhutto’s life in October 2007, an official report on that attack contained several newspaper articles quoting Bhutto. She said that if the US located Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil, she would “consider cooperating with Washington” to have him detained. She also said that she “would be willing to hand over” AQ Khan to the International Atomic Energy Agency for questioning. According to Bennett-Jones, such declarations represent “possible motives for an attack” on Bhutto.

These considerations suggest that Musharraf may never see the inside of a prison, or even be convicted. The prospect of an investigation and trial that brings out such incriminating material may well prompt an uneasy establishment to order the legal process halted entirely. To be sure, this is all pure speculation. And let’s face it, the case has spawned conspiracy theories galore.

There are very few clear facts in this story. Yet, here’s one: Pakistan is suffering through one of the most trying times in its history. So is now the right moment to expend precious time and resources on legal proceedings for a fallen figure like Musharraf?

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2013.

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COMMENTS (13)

Rai khan Rahi | 10 years ago | Reply Thanks brother for rasing such important issue of the most popular and respectable personal of yesterday world. hahahaaa. ... today I am realising that truly Musharraf's life was , is & will be "In The Line Of Fire", in past he fought for the sake of Pakistan & worldwide interest, he puts himself in such a situation for common interest while having a great & safe chance to finish his tenure like other useless leaders around, indeed someone was required to take couragefull actions in Pakistan after failing of our political leadership. I am belonging from South Waziristan Agency in Pakistan, and I am a witness what was happening in Waziristan before Musharraf regime, and for sure no need for me some body's analysis about my area Waziristan, then what was happening in Balochistan, and these both (Waziristan & Balochistan) were totally ignored by our political leadership since 1947. I was a boy of 7 years when I left my house for education because there was no primary school in my village. Then you look at the situation of Afghanistan alongside our border, a strong leader was required to face Taliban regime after 1996 and specially after 9/11, he was the leader who played a key role for the whole world's interest. Then he gives injections to ppp & pmln according to the requirements & wishes of our hopeless and victim people, then he saved our Nuclear assets very well. he brought a lot of investment & developments in Pakistan, even in my Waziristan he did much more in all walks of life. Then women impowerment, local bodies governments, youth impowerment, and the most important development was adoption of free Media.then see another important thing was peace process with india on equal bases. And yes he was the only soldier who gives injection to our judiciary, who puts judiciary in a new shape of action Anyway he spent his life in the line of fire, and nowadays also he has life in the line of fire, but be remember that a real hero always been in the line of fire, so I hope that his future will be like a real hero do or die. But hahahaaa. .. we must feel shame when we are talking negatively about any hero after he puts himself in such a situation for our interest, and again more shameful when we support the villeins like PPP & PMLN etc etc, so being a Waziristani I am requesting the world that Musharraf must be given justice because he fought for us. Thanking you, Rai khan Rahi, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. raikhanr@yahoo.com 00601126645345
Razi | 10 years ago | Reply

admit it Musharraf really played well on the minds of the American leadership then......and now you guys feel the guilt

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