Mikael

Benazir Bhutto, Pakistani opposition leader, killed in suicide attack

The Associated Press
Published: December 27, 2007

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan: The Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto died Thursday from her injuries sustained in a suicide attack, a party aide said.

"At 6:16 p.m. she expired," said Wasif Ali Khan, a member of Bhutto's party who was at Rawalpindi General Hospital.

A senior military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment, confirmed that Bhutto had died.

Her supporters at the hospital began chanting "Dog, Musharraf, dog," referring to Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf.

Some of them smashed the glass door at the main entrance of the emergency unit, others burst into tears.

The suicide bomber struck shortly Bhutto addressed a political rally in this garrison city on Thursday, killing at least 20 people, witnesses said.

An Associated Press reporter at the scene could see body parts and flesh scattered at the back gate of the Liaqat Bagh park where Bhutto had spoken. He counted about 20 bodies, including police, and could see many other wounded people.

A police official, Abdul Karim, said Bhutto had already left the area in her vehicle when the blast went off, just minutes after her speech to thousands of supporters, part of her campaign for Jan. 8 parliamentary elections.

Another police official, Saud Aziz, said it was a suicide attack.

Police cordoned off the street with white and red tape, and rescue workers rushed to put victims in ambulances as people wailed nearby.

Body parts, pieces of clothing and party banners scattered on the street. The clothing of some of the victims was shredded and people put party flags over their bodies. Police caps and shoes littered the asphalt.

It was the second suicide attack apparently targeting the former prime minister in two months.

Her homecoming parade in southern city of Karachi from an eight-year exile on Oct. 18 was also targeted, killing more than 140 people.

On Thursday, hundreds of riot police had manned security checkpoints to guard the venue. It was Bhutto's first public meeting in Rawalpindi since she came back to the country.

In recent weeks, suicide bombers have repeatedly targeted security forces in Rawalpindi, a city near the capital where Musharraf stays and the Pakistan army has its headquarters.

Earlier Thursday, pro-government party supporters clashed with backers of opposition leader Nawaz Sharif a few kilometers from Rawalpindi, killing four people and wounding three.



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Harry Plopper

Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time after so many assassination attempts ... R.I.P. PS: listening to all of those reports on violence around the world, I'm so grateful I (can) live in a peaceful & stable part of world.

The Artist

Im from pakistan as you might know..
and my take on this is, that its very sad..
and a problem for pakistan..
but on the other hand..this lady did know the dangers..
and she knew that she would put other ppls lives in danger if she went out and did these public speaches..
but she did not listen to the advice..
she has been responsible for many deaths in these latest days from the day she returned to pakistan..
and to me her life is NOT worth more than any other party member or police officers..

mercmad

Couldn't agree with you more. She knew the dangers and if she truly loved her followers she would have put thier saftey first and not do these public speeches.

Centurion

Reasonable logic but sometimes scarifies have to be made in order to win a large battle. Martin Luther King made public appearances and speeches as well and faced even more threats and opposition than Bhutto. I look up to people who aren't afraid of fighting for what they believe in.

I knew that she faced the risk of an assassination but a suicide attack in public is ridiculous.

Michael

Eni,

I am glad you said what you said.

I am at work right now, but I must say that this is a tragedy. What savages those who did what they did.

I will come back later.


RIP and good luck to Pakistan.

sif

Wow, didn't know you were a Pakistani Artist! I am (though I was born and raised in Britain), and I feel ashamed everytime one of my countrymen, or anyone else for that matter, behaves in such a senseless and inhumane fashion.

Sadly, since independence this seems to be the way Pakistan is, with military leaders interchanging with weak coalition governments, interspersed with assasinations and acts of violence against the populace. I was no Benazir fan, but no person should be treated in this way and I hope for our country's sake that this is the catalyst for people realising that something fundamental has to change in the way our country is.

RikfromBelgium

let's blame the killers for the deaths of those people shall we, not the one who was fighting for their rights. It's not like the people on the streets listening didn't knew the dangers now is it.

The real killer is fundamentalism.

Choleric

Tragic,

What effect do you guys think this will have on the elections in January?

Hypersonic

The bastards finally got her. She was a very courageous woman.

She was a major target for Al Qaeda and their supporters ...so they'll be happy.

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