Benazir blames Musharraf for unrest in Pakistan
Dated 17/1/2006
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Islamabad: Former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto has blamed President Pervez Musharraf and the "perpetual military rule" in Pakistan for the unrest in Sindh, Balochistan and the NWFP.
"The unrest threatens the unity and integrity of the counrty and calls for political solutions that were unlikely to come with the present regime as military interventions have always undermined national unity and integrity," Ms Bhutto to party workers in New York, media reports here said.
Pakistan was created on democratic principles and only those principles could keep the country together, she said.
On the US support to Pakistan, she said: "Gen Musharraf does what Washington wants him to do and President George W Bush is happy with him.'' It is a pity that Gen Musharraf pays no attention to what the people of Pakistan were saying."
"Gen Musharraf has failed to protect the people from unemployment. He may be applauded in Washington for his support and understanding of the needs of President Bush, but he does not understand the needs of the people of Pakistan," Ms Bhutto added.
"The present regime was based on force and if her party been in power in 2001, the 9/11 attacks on the US would not have taken place, as her government would have put an end to support for the Taliban and, consequently, for Al Qaeda," she noted.
"The press in Pakistan was 'not free' as it was only free to write against politicians, not against Gen Musharraf or any of the generals otherwise 'your car will get burnt or you will be beaten and end up in exile in Washington'," she said.