October 18, 2007, stands as a historic metaphor for a peaceful people’s democratic revolution that was halted by terrorism. Had the great tragedy that occurred that day at Karsaz on Shahra-e-Faisal in Karachi not taken place, the situation in Pakistan, and indeed across the region, especially in the Islamic world—might have been very different today.

Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto herself described this tragedy as “the result of the internal conflict within the Islamic world, the crises it was facing, and the attempt to hinder the growth of democracy there.”

On that day, a scene unfolded that is rarely witnessed in history. After eight years of exile, an ocean of people filled the streets of Karachi to welcome Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Karachi, one of Pakistan’s largest and most expansive cities, seemed smaller that day. When Shaheed Bibi arrived at Karachi Airport, hundreds of thousands had already gathered, while countless others lined the surrounding highways.

The welcome convoys struggled to find a way into the city. Even media drone cameras could not capture the full view of the immense crowd. Traffic was jammed for miles on every road leading into Karachi, and there was not a single empty spot from the airport to Jinnah Ground, opposite the Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum, where the rally was to be........

© Business Recorder