The violence in Pakistan was heightened as a result of the controversy regarding how Benazir Bhutto was killed. At least 38 to 43 people were killed as a result of the violent protests across the country that resulted in looting and wanton destruction after the death of Benazir Bhutto.
Western nations have urged the country to stick to the democratic process after her death. However, the other opposition figure, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that he and his party will boycott the elections. Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party will meet on Sunday to find a successor and to decide if they will take part in the elections or not.
The Election Commission is meeting on Monday to see if the vote will be delayed. They explain that in the chaos, their offices were set on fire along with the voter lists. According to them, everything has been reduced to ashes.
They also say without the participation of the PPP, the polls would lack the necessary credibility. So far, Bhutto’s supporters are furious at the official account of her death released by the government.
The earlier reports explain she was killed by gunfire before the bomb exploded. The government said she died smashing her head on the roof trying to duck.
The government blames Al-Qaeda. The group denies having any part of the assassination. The senior members of the PPP called the government’s official account as a pack of lies.
“There was a bullet wound I saw that went in from the back of her head and came out the other side,” according to Bhutto’s spokesman, Sherry Rehman. She was involved in preparing Bhutto’s body for burial.
She adds: “This is ridiculous, dangerous nonsense because it is a cover-up of what actually happened.”
According to analysts, this is the biggest crisis that Pakistan is facing since Bangladesh split over 35 years ago.
“We are heading towards a very uncertain phase of politics which has the potential to plunge the country into a state of anarchy,” according to Hasan Askari, the former head of political science at Punjab University.
While the White House declined to comment on the elections, they say that the government must thoroughly investigate her assassination. The Pakistani government has rejected external help to investigate Bhutto’s death.