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Shock and grief engulf Pak expatriates in UAE

No matter which political party they supported, Pakistani nationals in the UAE jointly condemned the attacks saying that the action could be a major setback for restoration of democracy in the country.

A staunch Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) supporter residing in the UAE who travelled to Pakistan before Benazir, while speaking over the telephone from Karachi, said, “I was part of the entourage and was four cars behind Benazir’s vehicle.

“The scene was terrible at the time of the attack and there was nowhere to run because everything happened in the split of a second.

“However, by the grace of Allah, I am safe though many PPP supporters lost their lives. I strongly condemn this attack and feel that those responsible should be brought to justice as soon as possible.”

Chaudhary Noorul Hassan Tanveer, Middle East Coordinator, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz Group) said, “As a Pakistani, I strongly condemn this act of terror. But I also feel that these blasts were just meant to scare Benazir, not to harm her. However, the turn of events in Pakistan after this incident have to be seen.”

Says Tahir Muneer, a Dubai-based journalist, “It is indeed a sad day for Pakistanis all over the world. We have gone back several steps from democracy that could put Pakistan back on track. Pakistan needs to fight terrorism and militancy. This is for its own good.”

A Dubai-based political analyst Mohammed Fareed said that Pakistan now needs to tackle several problems among which the major one was terrorism.

“Benazir might be cautious for a while but I do not think that this will discourage her from her fight for democracy. It is a fact that she has to be careful of such gatherings as innocent lives could again be targeted. It is indeed saddening to see that several innocent people lost their lives for a political leader.”

“This act could, however, also be the turning point in the political scenario of Pakistan as President Pervez Musharraf and Benazir could end up joining hands to combat the terror threat looming over the country.”

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