Benazir is dead.

I shed a few tears the other night when I heard this news.

I am not Pakistani, but I spent 5 of the best years of my life in Karachi, 6 to 11 years old...1972-1977.

In that time I saw Karachi, Pakistan go from a Hippy Hangout, Playboy Town to a Nation under Govt Occupation where strict Curfew’s were in order.

 
When we got there in 1972 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the leader of a free Pakistan. This was Benazir's Father. From all accounts a Charismatic & Positive leader...all be it a little corrupt,   & had a few of the wrong people as friends.

You see this was the 70's and like it or not the Heroin & Marijuana trade was in full swing. A lot of the Heroin was coming out of Afghanistan & Northern Pakistan. & The MJ in Resin form was coming from among other places. N Pakistan, N India & Afghanistan. So Mr Bhutto was alleged to have 'associates' in this world. Which I found out later in my life to be true.

 
But none the less there was a sense of achievement under Bhutto & Pakistan was on the move, taking its place in the modern world.

But there was a price, & that was the social divide. The Rich got Richer and the Poor got Poorer. A sad and repeated tale.

We had fun in the initial 4 years, the world was great. Life was good, Karachi was still part of that Hippy Trail, & the mixture of these Hippies & ExPats & the Nouveaux Riche made for an almost Hedonistic feel to place. You could do anything…really…anything if you had the Mind Set & The Cash.

We had a Beach House in Hawks Bay, the Old British Consulate as a House in Karachi…it was amazing, what my Hipped Out Parents had accomplished & put together. Oh & my best friend just happened to be part of the Richest Families in Pakistan, they ran Pakistan Steel, & I later found out One of the Sons, my Friends Dad, was one of largest Land Owners in the North where they Grew the Poppies. 

 
I did love this man though…he always wore sunglasses…I remember one time he called us to his room, we all went his 2 kids, my sister & me. The dude was sitting up in Bed, no PJ’s TV on Whisky in one Hand with his Sunglasses on. He sent us to the Movies with his Driver, & gave us all 50Rupees each to go have fun with. It was this man my Uncle R, he was the man who was Z.A. Bhutto’s friend, & hence the connection with the wrong worlds.

& Because of all these connections & other Political matters that brought on the Military Coup of General Zia. They arrested Bhutto & threw him in Jail. The whole Country was under Martial Law, & no one could be on the Streets during Curfew hours, or they would be shot on sight. Infact we saw some one make a dash during Curfew From the Veranda of our house. The Army chased this guy in his car & finally shot him & the car…I must have been around 10 years Old. Some things stick with you.

So here was I having to go to School across town to the Karachi American School, with a Curfew Pass. Me & The Driver Salim going through Military Check after Military Check, just so I could get in a half hour of Ball before the Bell.

In the End before we left, & the big Pak Evac of 1977 started (That is what the US citizens called it, fuck they even made a T-shirt), we had Marine Guards stationed around our house as my Dad was a US Citizen & a former Lt in the USMC. Too funny to see though…my Dad, big Walrus Moustache, Flares & Clogs walking through the house having these Young Marines (Whom must have done tours in Nam…we are talking 1976 & 1977) Saluting my Dad & calling him sir. & Me I thought it was cool that we had 6 Marines Stationed around the house in full Battle Dress. I close my eyes now & can still see them with their polished Boots & their M16’s, & all that Camo.

Pakistan has changed so much, it is now an Islamic Nation…& can I say that the Middle & Upper Class are part of an Islamic Nation of Hypocrites. Really, when I went back in 1993 on the surface it was all too different, No Alcohol, No Bars, No Clubs…but behind closed doors…the Booze & Fun was still flowing. Oh yes they all could get caught, sent to jail yada yada yada…but most of these people where all of Political & Social Status…they made the rules, & seriously bent them too.

It was in 1993 that Benazir was in full swing & the people were singing their optimism in the streets…it was great. It was as if those Old Glory Days were going to come back…but they did not & accusations of Corruption amongst Others led to the beginning of the End & the Start of Benazir’s exile.

Now after all that has happened in Pakistan since Benzir’s Assassination, her Son has stepped into the Fray. I feel for this Boy, he has just put a huge Target sign on himself in honour of the name of Bhutto & Democracy. I wish him every success, but I fear his road will be hard & long. If he survives maybe, just maybe He may win. But like the Kennedy’s in the US, misfortune surrounds the Bhutto’s I only hope that Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari her son survives to make the PPP the main Political Power in Pakistan. In his own words & the words of his mother ‘Democracy is the Best Revenge’

Be Well.