'Benazir had a poor track record with India'

As Pakistan is hurled into one of it's worst crisis in the last 60 years after Benazir Bhutto's assassination, CNN-IBN's Deputy Foreign Affairs Editor, Suhasini Haider — who is in Pakistan covering the events — chats with readers on ibnlive.com about the future of the country and the repercussions of the volatile politics there on the Indo-Pak peace process.

Gurunath Prakash: Hey! Ms Suhasini Haider, why are you trying to make Mrs Benazir Bhutto Zardari a la Indira Gandhi or a Mahatma Gandhi? After all, as far as India is concerned, she has been anti-India. She has the blood of lakhs of Indians, especially Kashmiris on her hands. Remember, the 1000-year war against India slogan of the Bhuttos? It looks as if IBN is trying to help the Bhuttos win an election in India with this coverage.

Suhasini Haidar: Dear Gurunath, I wish any of us had the clout to win elections! Our job is really to give you the news and its impact — and honestly, Benazir's assassination is a big story, with a wide impact. From the West, who saw her as some sort of hope for pro-west democracy, in India the Bhutto tragedies resound with our own. Benazir's poor track record with India, of course stands, and cannot be erased.

M K Banerjee: How do the people of Pakistan see Indians nowadays?

Suhasini Haidar: You know it's interesting how much the peace process has changed things in Pakistan and I really do feel people in Pakistan have appreciated the concern India has shown — both the government and the people. I have had very kind hosts in Larkana, and along the National Highway who have repeated this.

Samarth: Ms Haidar, first of all let me congratulate you for your fearless and realistic coverage of events in Pakistan. Let me put my question to you — what is the future of Democracy in Pakistan? Even if a democratic government is constituted after the elections, how long will it last and will it have any teeth?

Suhasini Haidar: Thank you Samarth. It seems democracy is ill-fated. And once again, just days short of the elections, this event has derailed the process once again. However in death Benazir has reminded everyone of just how important the process is. My own feeling is that the Army in Pakistan will always control things and is just too powerful to be moved. So you will see democratically elected governments in the future, but always with the army standing by, waiting to step in.

Panini: Hi Suhasini, Bhutto came fearing that she will be attacked, then why were no proper measures taken for her protection?

Suhasini Haidar: It's a question all of Pakistan is asking Panini. There's little protection one can have against a persistent group of suicide bombers, but what makes it curious is that clear security instructions had been given against Benazir rising up out of the sunroof. Then why did she stand up in her car? The possibility of her killers infiltrating her security ring hasn't yet been ruled out either.

Suhel: Hello Ms Haider, please let us know how does an average Pakistani feel about the current situation of Pakistan? Is there any ray of hope for Pakistan to come back to normalcy?

Suhasini Haidar: There is quite a lot of despondency amongst Pakistan's young people that I meet — particularly since they were enjoying some stability for a few years before 2007. The danger is in feeling that it is only Pakistan's problem, because whtever affects our neighbour, ends up affecting us.

ABC: Hi Happy New Year. How was new year in Pakistan?

Suhasini Haidar: I am afraid New Year's was not a happy one across Pakistan. Most parties and events for the day had been cancelled, and as I drove on Karachi's streets past midnight, you could still see the smouldering remains of burnt cars and shops.

Anwesha: Hi Suhasini I suddenly recounted your article of 2006 December. This year too, there has been a sudden, tragic incident and we have missed enjoying the last few days of the year. Hope for a better 2008!

Suhasini Haidar: Anwesha, I was thinking of just that this new year's eve. But the story must go on....

Rizman: What is the mood in Pakistan now the elections have been postponed? Will there be any western or international observer to monitor elections there?

Suhasini Haidar: There is already a team of obeservers from the Eurpoean Union and other countries that arrived in anticipation of the January 8 elections. They will now return before February 18. Also many Indian journalists, and observers from the subcontinent will be here, as will perhaps be UN monitors.

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Samarth Prakash: Hi! What is the going to be India's role in light of current happenings in Pakistan in helping its neighbour survive its worst phase? Can India ignore what is happening under its nose?

Suhasini Haidar: No I don't think India can ignore what is happening in Pakistan, but equally, we need to let them sort out the difficult situation and focus on keeping stable ties with Pakistan.

Abhijit: Hi Suhasini, there is almost a sense of glee with which some people in India are viewing the recent developments in Pakistan. It's a sense of deja vu in reverse and the opinion is that they are justifiably reaping what they have sown. Do you see in Pakistan itself any sense of frustration with the growing menace of terrorism and perhaps a recognition of mistakes commited in the past? Is there any popular mobilisation of mass opinion against such extremmism?

Suhasini Haidar: Dear Abhijit, I wrote a blog some months ago about how terrorism is the monster that always bites the hand that feeds it, and yes, Pakistan is now suffering at the hands of Jehadi groups that the nation, and particularly government's like Benazir's and Nawaz's once stood behind. But times have changed and most people I meet in Pakistan have turned against militant extremism of any sort.

Kunal: Hello Ms Suhasini can you please let me know how the government in Pakistan is holding up with the situation like this? Is it taking into consideration common people who are at loss because of all the riots for the sake of Bhutto. I mean, is it still bothered about the welfare of the public or is it becoming quite unanimous that it's the government fault for all the chaos? And what is the present scenario regarding the elections in Pakistan? What do you think is the public opinion about which is the next government that will be formed?

Suhasini Haidar There is a surge of sympathy for Benazir Bhutto which is obvious across the country right now. But as you probably know Pakistan is divided into four distinct states and while there is no question that the PPP will sweep Sindh — for Nawaz Sharif may retain his traditional stronghold of Punjab and the religious right the MMA in NWFP, In which case you may even see some kind of a national government — the PPP is still likely to be the largest party.

Srinivas: Hello maam, what do you think will be the future of Indo-Pak peace process? Will President Musharraf play the anti-India card to survive the present upheaval against him?

Suhasini Haidar I don't think so, particularly as the India Pakistan peace process has a lot of local support.

Rohit Bhalla: Hi Suhasini, do you think there will be an impartial probe into Benazir Bhuttos killing, even though Scotland Yard has been called in?

Suhasini Haidar Well I think the probe has a hard task ahead, given that all the preliminary evidence at the assassination site was washed away, and Benazir was buried without a post-mortem. I am not sure what, if anything, the international agencies can find now.

Khuddus: To some extent, I would put the blame on Benazir herself for her death. Security could only provide security to a certian extent, if Benazir exposes herself by popping out through the sun-roof in the middle of so many people, there is a high potential of she getting exposed easily to her enemies, who are looking to kill her if they get a chance — particularly as she made several statements that were anti-Taliban and against the views of fundamentalists (i.e. pro-American statements). What do you have to say?

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Suhasini Haidar I do agree that the decision to stand up out of the sunroof was the most disastrous one. However, the statements she made against terrorists and extremists showed her courage and I think you have to appreciate her for that.

Sasi Sekhar: Hi, Suhasini Haidar, how do you personally feel reporting the tragic and often shocking news items about our neighbour? Do you have any smypathies for the people in Pakistan, who are in miserable political crisis?

Suhasini Haidar You know Sasi — a story is a story. Even so, there are stories that you invest more time in. I have had the privilege of covering several stories in Pakistan and as a result have developed a bond with the story here, and the personalities here. I think as a reporter, one should not have sympathy, but empathy. Always :)

S Mithraa Varun: Considering the elections are being postponed, what is the general reaction from the public?

Suhasini Haidar People are quite fearful that postponing the elections will mean more bloodshed. But having seen the state of Sindh, I do feel it would have been impossible to hold elections next Tuesday.

Ashwani Singh: Why was an autopsy not done on the body of late Mrs Benazir Bhutto? The situation would have been clearer then, (at least the cause of death).

Suhasini Haidar You are asolutely right and though the police says Benazir's family had refused to give permission, the autopsy was mandatory in a case like this.

Maheswaran Balaraman: Good evening Suhasini, What are the sentiments of the common people on the streets in Pakistan? Has the series of military rule and violence hardened them and have they lost hope?

Suhasini Haidar I do hope not. We subcontinentals have a lot of resilience. But it is hard to hear an optimistic word about the present situation.

M V Shiva: Do you think that Benazir was really hurt by the sunroof and not hit by the bullet? What is the general public opinion about the elections having been postponed?

Suhasini Haidar Benazir may have been hurt by the sunroof but how do you explain that she fell wounded into the car before the suicide blast occured? The sunroof lever is supposed to have been triggered by the blast. The sequence of events is still the most confusing part of the assassination.

Saurabh Grover: Will his son be able to carve out on his place?

Suhasini Haidar I dont think Benazir's son Bilawal will be ready for politics for quite a few years. Let's wait and watch.

Pranav: As you assess the situation, do you think it is possible to hold free, fair elections especially in the wake of the political turmoil in Pakistan? Also is Pakistan ready for democratic process after eight years of military rule? What implications will this have on India?

Suhasini Haidar If anything, the years of military rule have definitely made people here pine for democratic rule. Will the next democratically elected leader make them remember military rule with nostalgia? I hope not.

Maheswaran Balaraman: Something about the sub-continent that falls for dynastic rule. Despite the huge corruption that the Zardari-Bhutto clan has known to have indulged in, people are still swayed by another Bhutto.

Suhasini Haidar This is true. Watch my blogspace for a piece about the smiliarities in our dynastic rule and theirs. That's all folks. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to have chatted with you. Hope to do this again sometime. Goodbye and Goodnight!