The Sultana was made a martyr

Pakistan has plunged in political turmoil today as the leader of democratic opposition, Benzamir Bhutto, was shot dead in a suicide attack.

The former prime-minister was shot in the chest and neck while she stood in an open-top jeep adressing supporters of in a rally in Rawalpindi.

At least other 20 people were killed in the suicide blast that followed the shooting.

President Musharaf convened an emergency meeting to discuss the action of government and accused Islamist radicals of the murder.

“This is the work of those terrorists with whom we are engaged in war,” he told Pakistan state TV.

“I have been saying that the nation faces the greatest threats from these terrorists. Today after this tragic incident, I want to express my firm resolve.”

Bhutto’s death is a severe blow for the US diplomacy which had encouraged the former prime minister to return from exile.

Bhutto was Washington’s solution to stop the rise of influence of Islamic radicals and replace the dwelling General after parliamentary elections next January.

The control of Pakistanis atomic arsenal is the international community’s great worry as well as the support to terrorists in the border with Afghanistan.

The scent of war

The news of Bhutto’s death unleashed violence across Pakistan.

According to the Guardian, followers at the hospital wept, smashed the glass doors and started fires around the hospital periphery. Some were heard to shout “dog, Musharraf, dog” and “killer Musharraf”.

In Rawalpindi grieving supporters tore down the posters of Musharraf’s ruling party and attacked police, who fled from the scene.

Protests also took the streets in Peshawar and Karachi where shop owners closed for business fearing the rage of the crowd.

Without Bhutto, Pakistan is a boat adrift on the verge of civil war.

The assassination of Bhutto, who returned to Pakistan in October after eight years in exile, will spark unrest and postpone parliamentary ellections, it is foretold.

Riaz Malik, of the opposition party Pakistan Movement for Justice (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf), warned: “The impact will be that Pakistan is in more turmoil – it will be the start of civil war in Pakistan. There is a very real danger of civil war in Pakistan.”

“While suspicion was likely to fall on insurgent groups based in the northern tribal areas near the Afghan border, the killing was bound to increase dissatisfaction with the regime of the president, Pervez Musharraf”, he added.

The Portuguese expert on Middle East issues, General Loureiro dos Santos, warned for risk of Pakistan to disintegrate.

“It is a remote possibility”, he said to Sic Notícias. “However, the different ethnic groups of the country, in face of power collapse, may set it off”

With the Guardian

Ernest

Links

Bhutto’s profile

Benzamir Bhutto in pictures

Bush’s reaction