Off the Shelf

The death of Benazir Bhutto has prompted much turmoil in a country which already suffers from instability. As is now known, Ms. Bhutto was assassinated while campaigning for elections that were scheduled for 8 January and a bomb was set off shortly after this incident killing many of her supporters. The elections have now been delayed until 18 February.

There are still many unanswered questions about the assassination and different accounts about what happened. The Interior Ministry states that Ms. Bhutto hit her head against the sunroof of her car while trying to avoid the bullets. Representatives from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), on the other hand, report that she had wounds in her head from the bullets. In addition, reports exist stating that there was no sufficient security presence when this event occurred and that the scene was hosed down soon after the blast which leads many people to speculate that there was a government cover-up. Whatever the accounts may be, one thing is certain: her death has impacted Pakistan and the international community and everyone is watching to see what the outcome will be. The library has featured three documents which shed light on the situation in Pakistan. Please be sure to read Elections, Democracy, and Stability in Pakistan; Destroying Legality: Pakistan's Crackdown on Lawyers and Judges; and lastly After Bhutto's Murder: A Way Forward for Pakistan.