Beijing: Fatima Bhutto, the estranged niece
of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, has attacked
dynastic politics of her family saying it has destroyed
democracy in her country.
In a surprise interview with a Chinese state-run TV
channel, Fatima said she has no second thoughts about her
decision not to contest elections despite her cousins emerging
as political heirs of the Bhutto legacy.
The candid interview comes just days after her cousins and
daughters of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari - Bakhthawar
and Asifa visited China.
Even their brother and Chairman of the ruling PPP Bilawal
Bhutto Zardari arrived in Chinese city Nanning yesterday to
attend a Conference on `Development and People`s Access`.
"Dynasty is fundamentally incomparable with the democracy
and they are opposites. While dynasty is exclusive, democracy
is inclusive. Democracy inspires participation. Dynasty
enforces closed policy. Democracy is all about creative
differences, tolerance for the unknown and dynasty is all
about self", she told CCTV channel.
Fatima said she would stick to her decision "even more
because what we see in Pakistan in 60 odd short years is that
dynasty has destroyed the political culture of the country".
During his last visit to Beijing, Zardari surprised
Chinese President Hu Jintao by walking in for talks with
Bakhthawar and Asifa saying that the gesture was meant to
inspire new generation of Pakistanis to continue "all weather
friendship" with China.
Fatima`s interview surprised analysts as Chinese official
media rarely covered leaders critical of Pakistan`s ruling
establishment.
In her frank interview, which confined to her views on
dynastic and violent politics in her country, Fatima said
politics of assassination were also becoming a bane for
Pakistan and the region.
Asked whether she is worried about her life, as her
grandfather, father and aunt were killed, Fatima said "my
father, my aunt and my uncle and grandfather, if you look at
it, it is not just Pakistan, it is not the family and I worry
because eventually people become complacent and they see it as
normal.
"Part of that makes it frightening in Pakistan that people
tend to be quite and absorb violence quietly and that is
something that frightens. You should never keep quite", she
said.
Fatima said Pakistan required democracy to develop.
"Pakistan is a rich country. It has oil gas, copper mines
and diamond mines. It grows food it needs for its people.
My hope for the country is that one day the resources will be
in the hands of the people whom it belong to. For myself, I
hope stay in Pakistan", she said.
PTI
