Mumtaz Bhutto on Zardari Inc (Contd)

Instead of going into a long mourning period and following the tracks of the killers of their leader, in whose name they still thrive, her successors reinvigorated their election campaign to take full advantage of the reaction of the people to her murder. "Democracy is the best revenge," they said but did not explain how the killers of Benazir would be brought to book. No FIR has been filed and those responsible have absolved themselves by throwing the matter at the United Nations, knowing that it will be buried like the Rafik Hariri case.

The murder provided a chance to Asif Zardari to end the banishment imposed on him by his wife, reportedly for making a deal some three years ago with the intelligence agencies to be their man in the PPP. Not only that, he even produced a will which made him lord and master of all that his wife stood for. Given the background, this document was questioned by many, but by not the pulao politicians of the party, who had their sights firmly set on the rewards of power that lay just around the corner.

The PPP's electoral victory brought all kinds of people into lucrative high positions, including absconders abroad, as well as friends of the "Friend of Friends." Patronage at government expense stretches even to Zardari's servants, who occupy VIP rest houses and move about with police escorts. Meanwhile, anyone called Zardari seems to have assumed a status above the law. They are going and involving themselves even in things like depriving the poor fishing community of Chotiari Dam of their fish.