Pakistan is in a royal mess. Consider this under statement of the century. The murder of Benazir Bhutto will have long lasting effects on the destiny of Pakistan as a nation, whether they are positive or negative, solely depends on one man and one man only and his name is Ashfaq Pervaiz Kiyani.

Let’s not sugar coat this anymore, we are staring annihilation of the federation of Pakistan so this is no time for political correctness. Pakistan is in the mess because of one force more than any other and that force is Pakistan Army. History has presented them this golden opportunity to wash some of their sins away. Please understand that I have always advocated that Army should do what they are suppose to do, they have never done that in Pakistan. So what I am about to suggest should be understood in the spirit that its intended in. Fact of the matter is that we have created a psyche in Pakistan that whoever has the most guns will have the most influence. Automatically this has resulted in Army’s influence in every department ranging from real estate to private schools to even bakra mandi’s now.

This phenomenon is ever so obvious in FATA and on the political horizon of the country as well. Imran can blame MQM all day long for 12th may and for having stockpiles of arms, but if you have ever stepped a foot in any college in Karachi, you will know that in order to have any influence in the political arena, you need to be armed to teeth and that cut across all party lines, at least in Karachi. I am not justifying it, I am telling you how it is.

So once we establish this cardinal rule that nothing and I mean NOTHING will change in Pakistan until and unless Pakistan Army signs off on it than we will have to start from there. What Pakistan Army and its leadership need to understand now is that we are really under water here. This cannot be taken lightly anymore. We really are talking about the disintegration of the federation; lets have no confusion about that. Pakistan Army needs to come to this realization quickly that people of Pakistan which unlike ’71, includes Punjab this time as well (hence that much more alarming) have made this decision that they no longer will put up with the shenanigans and diversions of the past. They can no longer be fooled that Shaukat Azziz was truly the most popular politician in Pakistan and hence was the leader of the house of the 'democratic' assembly.

I can elaborate further but lets keep this as clean as possible, bottom line is that Ashfaq Pervaiz Kiyani needs to ask Pervez Musharraf to go home. There should be an APC right away in which the formulation of a National consensus government should take place. This interim government should be given the mandate of organizing free and fair elections within 6 months. Please do not accuse me of asking Army to intervene again. Lets be very clear about what I am saying.

We first have to accept the reality on ground which is highly undesirable but its reality nevertheless so it needs to be dealt with and that reality is that Army is in-charge, have always been in-charge and IF we would like Pakistan to remain intact as a federation without a wholesale blood-shed than the leadership of Pakistan Army needs to come to this conclusion that its high-time to go back to what we pay them to do which is protect our borders as defined in constitution and pass on the mantle to democratic forces. Time actually has already expired but miracles can still happen. Paywasta reh shajar say umeed-e-bahar rakh.

Merely as political exercise let me suggest some names for the interim government, needless to say that I could be wrong about particular names, but I doubt that there is any other solution, so here goes:

Raza Rabbani (Prime Minister)

Javed Hashmi (Deputy Prime Minister)

Aitezaz Ehsan or Retd. Lt. General Talat Masood (Interior Minister)

Khursheed Ahmed or Qaiser Bengali(Finance Minister)

Asma Jehangir or Iqbal Haider (Human Rights Minister)

Wajeeh-Uddin Ahmed or Nasir Aslam Zahid (Law minister)

Senator Anwer Baig (Sports Minister)

Mustafa Kamal (Local bodies minister)

Ayaz Amir (Information Minister)

Hasan Nisar (Minister for Industry & development)

Siraj-ul-Haq (open)

Babr Aaawan (open)

Khawaja Asif (open)

Dr. Shahid Masood (Minister for health)

Fakharuddin G. Ibrahim (Chief election commissioner)

Needless to say that the judiciary needs to be reinstated right away to its pre November 3rd position and the constitution needs to be restored to its pre 1999 form. There is always an opportunity whenever there is a catastrophe, we are truly special because we have had so many opportunities and it really takes a special type of people to squander it way without a miss every single time. Lets hope for the sake of Pakistan that we grab this one.

Its no secret that I was no fan of Benazir or PPP, I did however admire her father’s courage. Recent events and the manner in which Benazir insisted on reviving the politics of center in Pakistan despite of very obvious threats to her life, says something about her courage and dedication. Babar Aawan, finance minister of PPP told BBC and I quote “the same forces that killed her father, did her in.” We have yet to identify the real forces that were behind the murder of our first prime minister, so we shouldn’t be holding our breath that the REAL culprits will ever meet justice in the worldly sense anytime soon. But it should be obvious that if the powers to be insist on creating the smoke screens and diversions that they are famous for than God help us all who have an ounce of sincerity towards Pakistan. This is truly a sad day for Pakistan in so many ways. I see turmoil ahead and I pray to Allah swt that he gives sense and courage to the real powers in our country to do the right thing. Ashfaq Pervaiz Kiyani can truly become the hero of our nation, is he listening?

My deepest condolences to the family, friends and admirers of Benazir. May the good lord forgive her sins and grant her salvation and may the sacrifice that she gave with her own blood deliver for Pakistan and its people that ever-elusive prosperity. “Verily we are from Allah and to Allah we shall return”