Srinivas Padma: Personal Musings on Life, Growth, and Connections

28 Nov'07: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has finally quit the Army after remaining Army Chief for nine years. But whether this means he will become a ceremonial head of state or continue to call the shots is a million dollar question. There is no denying the fact that Gen. Musharraf will lose considerable power because he has vacated the powerful military slot. Though Gen. Musharraf says the new chief, General Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani , is a trusted man and will back him as a powerful President, this appears to be only a hope. In 1998, Gen. Musharraf was chosen by then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as the most trusted man, but within a year Gen. Musharraf toppled him. This can still happen. Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto thinks that with Gen. Kiyani and other similar-minded generals taking over the Army, an unpopular Musharraf as a civilian President would be of no benefit. Gen. Musharraf, however, insists he retains the Army's support and, to that end, the 55-yea

October 19, 2007 (Karachi): Two massive blasts rocked former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's motorcade in Karachi early on Friday morning, killing at least 135 people and injuring over 545 others .The blasts, which reports indicate were suicide attacks, took place a few feet away from Bhutto's convoy.Witnesses said they heard an explosion that was followed by another one that occurred just to the left of Bhutto's armoured truck. Bhutto had left the unprotected, open-air perch of the truck and gone below just before the explosions took place. The first bomb exploded from the left side of the truck, causing party workers to fall on each other; then the second blast struck when people were trying to get up and many were injured as they leapt off the truck when it caught fire.Pakistan People's Party spokesperson Farhatullah Babar has confirmed that Bhutto is safe and has reached her home Bilawal House in a police car. However, Rehman Malik, one of Bhutto's adv