"The Understudy"

Hi Everyone,

On December 27, 2007, I got up in the morning and took Shehryar (Aalia's baby) from her so she could get some sleep. Like any other morning, I made a cup of tea, turned on the TV and started to feed the baby. What I saw on my TV screen was a lot of commotion. It was a scene from a hospital in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Apparently, Benazir Bhutto was shot and brought in there. I was still in shock and disbelief that she was shot, and her death was announced. This announcement was too big to be contained in a small country like ours and as it had no boundaries, it spread all over the world instantaneously. Being too close and emotional about the situation, the local media was flabbergasted and was having trouble handling news of this caliber. Even newscasters from CNN appeared shaken by this tragedy (and you know even God can't shake them up). I was trembling and started calling my family frantically as the news was too shocking for me to absorb. Since my country lost a precious daughter, and two daughters lost their precious mother, for a couple of days I was not myself.

Then on December 30, I saw another scene that was more disturbing to me than the one I saw three days ago. It was Benazir Bhutto's estranged husband, Asif Ali Zardari, announcing his co-chairmanship of Pakistan People's Party to the world. He was throwing Benazir's only son Bilawal, only 19 at the time, in there for the co-chairmanship as well to justify the whole damn thing. His eyes were overflowing with dreams and his face was glowing (like a 'glow in the dark' kind of glow). Bilawal's mother's violent and untimely death, which was felt all over the world, was written on his face. Her party members and colleagues looked noticeably shaken and then there was this "DAKU" looking man whose jubilation was too much for him to hide.

Mr. Zardari reminded me of an "UNDERSTUDY" who practices and memorizes the main role his whole life. The day the main actor doesn't show he jumps in to fill his/her shoes. His eagerness was coming right through my TV screen and was telling me a lot about his family dynamics, as well as the dynamics of Pakistan People's Party, which sadly, were being changed forever. I felt sorry for Bilawal, who was not much older than my own son, Hashim, because not only was his mother's death exploited, his mother's surname was USED also, as his father STUCK it right in the middle next to his own......Bilawal Bhutto ZARDARI......

The UNDERSTUDY was ready to play the "role of his life".

The man is an evil genius. He used his "somehow proven" mental instability to get out of legal troubles. I'm sure you are not crazy enough to believe he is crazy. He robbed more money from Pakistan than I thought my poor country had. You have to give him credit for one thing though......he got rid of the arrogant Musharraf while using the Sharifs and also got rid of the dumbfounded Nawaz Sharif in the process.....BRILLIANT. Still, his over confidence in the handling of western media and foreign dignitaries boggles my mind, as he was flirting with the idea of LANDING a position as "First Man" in the White House more than he was with Sarah Palin when he uttered those three historical words: "You look gorgeous."

The village of Nodero has become Bhuttos' graveyard in a mere span of a few years and Mr. Zardari, who does not have a drop of Bhutto blood in him, has taken over Zulifqar Ali Bhutto's legacy.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW A "COUP" LIKE THIS?

Much Love,

Shehla