Bibi's Annual Pilgrimage

WASHINGTON

Benazir Bhutto has mellowed with age and matured with time. She has alsosharpened her political skills in exile. She timed her annual pilgrimage toWashington amid talk of new political arrangements in Pakistan and to pointedlyremind Americans that she had "heard" George Bush’s inaugural address, theone about ending tyranny in the world and bringing freedom and democracy. Shecalled it the "doctrine of democracy" from which Pakistan could not beexempt or the doctrine loses credibility.

"Bibi" -- as she is referred to by many -- speaks with confidence and ata recent get together she sparkled with wit and wisdom. The charm offensivefloored the nearly all-male audience as she joked about "deals" and"dheel" [leeway]  -- deal being the tentative talks with the military government aboutthe future and the "dheel" being the release of her husband Asif Zardariafter eight years in prison. Gone was the shrillness of earlier days and in itsplace was a more well-rounded politician who knows she deserves better. Sheexuded hope and clear future ambition. She knows she can win elections inPakistan -- if she is allowed to return and campaign openly in a free and fairelectoral environment.

This is where the Americans can help, given their hefty links with Pakistan.Bhutto met "friends" around Washington to bring them up to date on herplans. But she didn’t get high-level attention from the Bush Administrationdespite all the buzz about democracy. Her supporters said she was, in fact,"insulted" when the State Department came up with only an "officedirector" level diplomat for a meeting in place of Christina Rocca, assistantsecretary for South Asia, who was under the weather. The meeting was fixed butBhutto didn’t show up and didn’t send a message either. There was much heartburn all around with US officials saying in a somewhat imperious tone that shewas given the access at the "level considered appropriate" for a formerprime minister. "We don’t see anything out of the ordinary" in this, saidone official, refusing to concede that others might read a whole message in themedium.

Neither the Bush Administration nor the American bureaucracy seems to havemuch love for Bibi. They consider her immature, even corrupt and somewhatirresponsible. "She trades on the idea that she is the chosen one," said oneofficial. Who doesn’t? Currently the chosen one in Pakistan is a general whospeaks the language of moderation one day and fumes the next. The Bush-Mushpolicy fit has been expedient and official Washington has found adequateaccommodation with the general. But it doesn’t quite mesh with Bush’sinaugural address, which was noted around the world for its lyrical paean todemocracy. So the US bureaucracy is shifting gears and readjusting thepriorities a bit.

Since January, official US statements on Pakistan have changed with therestoration of democracy occupying a higher profile. Americans say they want the2007 elections in Pakistan to be held according to "international standards"with participation from political parties. They can see that Musharraf isbecoming unpopular at home and any long-term engagement with Pakistan will haveto include relations with mainstream political parties. Circumstances on theground have also forced the Americans to look at the reality -- if politicalparties continue to be marginalized, the mullahs will only gain in stature andpower. Already ruling one province and in coalition in another, the religiousparties are strengthening their position.

Early contours of the blueprint for a democratic Pakistan will includeBhutto’s party but will it include Bhutto herself? The Americans at this stageare unwilling to give her any assurance that she will be allowed to return toPakistan, campaign and run for a seat. They want her to wait peacefully andallow the assembly to complete its five-year term, a feat that Musharraf canthen flog in his campaign. She obviously doesn’t want him to have that benefitand would like elections to be held earlier.

Sitting in the home of a well-to-do Pakistani American supporter of herparty, Bhutto tackled tricky questions about her party’s behind-the-scenesnegotiations with Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s emissaries with aplomb. In fact, hercampaign has begun at least among overseas supporters. So impressive was herdemand for justice, free and fair election and an end to political persecutionby the general’s regime, a woman sitting next to me said "Amen" whenBhutto finished.

Bhutto was prepared with facts and figures to support her case that anaverage Pakistani is worse off under the military dictatorship despite the"gifts" coming from the Americans and the post-9/11 swelling of funds fromoverseas Pakistanis. "The elections of 2002 have failed. The states are nothappy, the working classes are not happy. Today 33 percent of the people arebelow the poverty line and 24 percent live on subsistence level. That is astaggering 57 percent of the people," Bhutto told a packed room filled withsupporters.

No wonder the general is afraid of her return. She is in a position to rallyher troops and rejuvenate her party. It will be hard for the Americans tojustify her continued exile given that even Hosni Mubarak is talking of amulti-candidate election in Egypt.