Like the Nehru-Gandhi family of India, the Bhuttos is another tragic political dynasty in the sub-continent. Her father, a former prime minister of Pakistan during the rare times when the country was not run by the army, was accused of murder and then executed by Gen Zia ul-Haq in 1979. Then her two brothers (also politically active) were killed in mysterious circumstances. And today, it was Benazir's turn.

Looks like the country is going to the dogs. Political killings, assassinations, suicide bombings, military coups, repressing the independence of the judiciary, etc. Another "failed state" in the making? Scary thought considering they have the nukes too.

I wonder if the 1^st Earl Mountbatten of Burma would roll in his grave if he could see how bad things have turned out ever since the partition of 1947.

• BBC News - Benazir Bhutto 'killed in blast'
  
• BBC News - Obituary: Benazir Bhutto
  
• CNN - Benazir Bhutto assassinated
  
• The New York Times - Bhutto Assassinated in Attack on Rally

Meanwhile in an island south of the sub-continent, the henchman of a Sri Lankan labour minister by the name of Mervin Silva assaulted the news director of a television station. All this because the station did not broadcast a footage of a speech he made on Wednesday during the re-opening of a bridge destroyed by the 2004 tsunami.

Enraged employees then locked them up pending an apology from the minister, which of course was not forthcoming.

In the end, commandos had to be called in to resolve the standoff and he was finally allowed to leave with red and pink paint splattered on him and jeers from the journalists.

"If my action is considered as a wrong act, I would like to apologise to the employees," said Mr Silva in front of cameras.

Now this would have been quite a sight, bully politician getting a taste of his on medicine. Oh! The humiliation of it.

Incidentally in 2005, his son and his son's bodyguard pulled out pistols on the police when they went to a club to conduct a drug raid.

Labels: pakistan, politics, sri lanka