Benazir Bhutto Assassinated in Pakistan

Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister of Pakistan who had returned from exile earlier this year to push for democratic reforms, was assassinated earlier today in a gun attack followed by a suicide bombing, less than two weeks before parliamentary elections.

Bhutto, the daughter of a Pakistani prime minister, was a leading critic of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.  Bhutto’s supporters immediately placed the blame for the attack on Musharraf.Musharraf, who had previously instituted martial law, blamed Islamic extremists for the attack.  “This is the work of those terrorists with whom we are engaged in war,” he said in a speech to the nation. “We will not rest until we eliminate these terrorists and root them out.”  Musharraf declared a three-day mourning period, and urged calm.

The attack throws the upcoming elections into chaos.  Bhutto’s party, the Pakistani People’s Party, was leading in the polls.  But Nawaz Sharif, who also served as prime minister, told the BBC, “I think perhaps none of us is inclined to think of the elections.  We would have to sit down and take a very serious look at the current situation together with the People’s Party and see what we have to do in the coming days.”

Still, Sharif said to opposition supporters that Bhutto’s death would not go unavenged.

“Benazir Bhutto was also my sister, and I will be with you to take the revenge for her death,” he said. “Don’t feel alone. I am with you. We will take the revenge on the rulers.”