South Asia News
Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto assassinated
Dec 27, 2007, 18:09 GMT
A file picture dated 18 October 2007 of Pakistan\'s former prime minister Benazir Bhutto leaving her house as she departs Dubai for Pakistan, UAE. Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto died 27 December 2007 following a suicide bombing near her vehicle at a election rally in the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan-based television stations were reporting. EPA/ALI HAIDER
Islamabad - Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday as she left an election campaign rally, by a gunman who then detonated a bomb, killing himself and at least 19 people, government and hospital officials said.
The former two-time prime minister and political icon, who had survived a suicide attack two months ago after returning from exile abroad, was pronounced dead after being rushed to a local hospital in Rawalpindi, a garrison city near Islamabad, where she had addressed a crowd of several thousand cheering supporters.
A hospital source in Rawalpindi told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that Bhutto died from 'a bullet wound to the neck,' and that least 19 people were killed and more than 40 wounded in the bombing that followed. Other media reports said Bhutto was also shot in the head.
Farhadullah Babar, a spokesman for Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP), told the state-run PTV that the bomber had first fired several bullets at Bhutto's white Range Rover before blowing himself up as her convoy left the rally.
He said she was already dead when her convoy arrived at the Rawalpindi General Hospital around 5:30 pm.
'She is no longer among us,' he told dpa by telephone. 'She has given her life for the people of Pakistan exactly in the same manner as her father.'
Family scion Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, also a former prime minister, was ousted by the Pakistani military in 1977 and hanged two years later, and two of her brothers also died under mysterious circumstances.
In the days leading up to her assassination, Bhutto claimed that elements within President Pervez Musharraf's government and Pakistan's security services who had sympathies with Islamic extremists were plotting to kill her.
She said the military-backed government felt threatened by huge crowd attending rallies for Bhutto, and those by fellow opposition leader Nawaz Sharif.
One day before her death, Bhutto specifically mentioned the dozens of suicide bombings that had plagued Pakistan in 2007, saying: 'We are not afraid of them. Despite their repressive tactics we will carry on our journey along the path of truth. We fear only God.'
In a live address to the nation Thursday night, Musharraf blamed Bhutto's death on the same Islamic extremists who have carried out more than 50 suicide attacks his year and appealed for calm.
'This was the action of the same terrorists against whom we are fighting,' he said, declaring a three-day national mourning period. 'Today, on this sorrowful occasion, I express the determination that we will not rest until we have eliminated and uprooted these terrorists.'
Television footage following the attack showed dead and wounded people on the ground at the rally site in the city centre, and DawnNews reported that police had located a severed human head which they suspected belonged to the bomber.
Distraught Bhutto supporters rioted in major cities and towns across Pakistan Thursday night, clashing with police and setting fire to vehicles, buildings and the office of a pro-government political party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, which is also contesting the elections.
In Islamabad, shops, restaurants and petrol stations were shuttered and streets largely empty amid fears of unrest.
It remained to be seen what affect Bhutto's assassination will have on the polls, which Musharraf needed to go smoothly to end a nearly year-long political crisis that saw him declare a state of emergency and suspend the constitution on November 3 to prevent the Supreme Court from nullifying his controversial October re-election.
US President George W Bush sees Musharraf as a critical ally in the global war on terror, and his administration had pushed him to return to democracy avert a prolonged crisis that could affect military operations against al-Qaeda and Taliban militants along Pakistan's western border with Afghanistan.
'I think the PPP will withdraw from the election and Nawaz Sharif will also withdraw from the process,' said Talat Masood, a retired army general and political analyst.
'What will happen is they will withdraw and they will all join a movement,' he said. 'And it will put a lot of political pressure on Musharraf and no one knows what will unfold.'
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
It is very sad to blame one political leader or the other. Any person with IQ of 80 or more even can think and deduce that it is not the work of anyone in political forefront, be it Musharraf or some politician.
It is stupid to blame any one without proof.
what a beautiful, intelligent, and wondrous woman she was. as an american, i hope the people of her country continue to fight for democracy, and not see her death as something to fear. dying to free your country is not shameful, but killing innocent people IS. these cowards who think that killing a woman is going to get them somewhere are terribly, terribly, wrong. she's been martyred because of them, and now, i hope her people continue her struggle to break free of these primitive monsters and their cowardly acts.
....of the face of our enemy.
If you want a good look at the enemy, look in the mirror. Remenber what Walt Kelly said: 'We have met the enemy and he is us.'
'if you want a good look at the enemy, look in the mirror.'
Get a life.
This assassination just underscores what miserable, disgusting, sub-human savages we are dealing with. Brave 'mujahadeen'... they killed an unarmed woman.
Don't waste your words on sp4. He doesn't know who Walt Kelly is. He doesn't even know the powers of a US Federal judge. sp4 is the guy who needs to get a life. But first he should get a brain.
You don't have a better come-back that 'get a life?' That 'enemy' comment must have struck pretty close to the bone, then.
...between you and me. Walt's words are interesting, but thinking people like me don't take them literally. Then again, I've looked in my mirror and do not see any kind of enemy to myself, so perhaps ol Walt was just full of crap.
Me? I see Bhutto's death with clarity: Her enemies are the enemies of freedom. I don't need some literary drivel to guide my thinking here. It's a plain out and out attack on freedom. I only hope they lost more than they gained.
Clarity, Reg...is the coin of the realm. This is why Bush and his stance on freedom is so straight-forward: Clarity. There are no ambiguities in the concept of freedom. Mr. Bush understands this, clearly. His stance is...clear.
Perhaps you need Walt, Reg, for guidance so go ahead and, by all means, make sure to get back to us. I'm looking for the most boring post this year and you still have time!
Clarity, you say. That concept is totally foreign to you republicans. If you see nothing in the mirror then a pile of dung, then maybe that is all there is. As for people like you, who find nothing but literary drivel, in Walt's views, it is your uneducated, unaware, immature, little mind that is drivelling. Also, this was not an attack on freedom. It is a perfect example of freedom and democracy at work. The freedom to murder anyone, anywhere, anytime you want. Perfectly free. Perfectly democratic. Perfectly american. Keep up the stupidity, sp.004 the year isn't over yet. I look for more inanities from you. With all the tragedies going on, we need a good laugh. And you provide it.
...can produce your kind of crap. Freedom to murder? Tell me, which society in the world greenlights this? I suspect you live under the mantle of a society you share all the benefits of, but make no contribution to it.
Bhutto was into making something good. The killers just want something bad. They were not interested in anyone's freedoms, or any kind of democracy.
When you cannot make the distinction, Walt's, or anyone else's words are wasted. They are the beginning of wisdom, not the end of it. Bhuuto's death will serve a purpose. It will galvanize support. Making a martyr is a mistake for her enemies, and illustrates their shortcomings.
That's the problem with you tinfoil hat wearing posters...when you can say anything, you end up saying nothing. I'll take my neocon views to yours any day, or even those of the worst libnazi because this will be one thing we would agree on. Just because you get published does not make you right.
'You don't have a better come-back that 'get a life?''
It is actually more then your idiotic and downright creepy stalking of SP4 warranted, as well as your playground vintage:
''if you want a good look at the enemy, look in the mirror.''
Yes, you do not like him... Everyone gets it. When you hang on his every word without ever addressing any of the points he makes it just makes you look like an incredible loser.
So yes, get a life.
The theme here is 'Hate Bush and anyone who doesn't hate Bush.'
I call it liberal bigotry. They preach tolerance, and diversity, except for those that disagree with them. That would be anyone not a liberal.
Who honors my diversity? Not those who preach it, that is for sure!
Bigotry now forms at the left. I don't mind being the lightning rod. In fact, when I see the useless posts, it reafirms my point of view.
What are you smoking? When sp4 says something intelligent, then it will be discussed. He doesn't need another neocon babysitter apologist to do his 'speaking' for him. I won't tell you to get a life, you wouldn't know what to do with it. Screw off, yank. Go stalk yourself. Moron.
'That's the problem with you tinfoil hat wearing posters...when you can say anything, you end up saying nothing. '
Oh, yes, indeed, sp1/4. You have never said anything intelligent, ever, on these pages.
'when I see the useless posts, it reafirms my point of view.'
You do keep re-reading your posts, don't you. Only an ignorant savage like you would find anything intelligent in them.
to Mr. SP4, who said this: 'Who honors my diversity? Not those who preach it, that is for sure!'
What sort of megamaniacal, deluded, paranoid, schizophrenic with delusions are you?
When I last saw an extraordinary beautiful photo of Benazir here on M&C a couple of weeks ago, she was praying over her fathers grave and I mentioned the words 'Filial Piety',.then I had the feeling she was living on borrowed time......
May God have mercy on her soul.
'He doesn't need another neocon babysitter apologist to do his 'speaking' for him.'
Not apologizing for anything. I am just pointing out that your only point has been to whine and complain that someone else made one.
'I won't tell you to get a life, you wouldn't know what to do with it.'
LOL! Coming from someone who hangs on the every post of SP4...
'Screw off, yank. Go stalk yourself. Moron.'
Another fine retort that pretty much cements the perception that you are a half wit who can't think for herself. The 'yank' confirms that you do this out of impotent frustration. Thankfully, this is the only place you have any say over American politics and, thankfully, you show yourself to be an obtuse idiot who is rightfully ignored outside of anonymous message boards.
page: 1
winter32842Dec 27th, 2007 - 20:00:58
It is work of President Pervez Musharraf. Musharraf should step down, right now.
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