Posted:
Bhutto survives Karachi attack, 135 dead
NDTV Correspondent
Friday, October 19, 2007 (Karachi)
Two massive blasts rocked former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's motorcade in Karachi early on Friday morning, killing at least 135 people and injuring over 545 others.
The blasts, which reports indicate were suicide attacks, took place a few feet away from Bhutto's convoy.
Witnesses said they heard an explosion that was followed by another one that occurred just to the left of Bhutto's armoured truck.
Bhutto had left the unprotected, open-air perch of the truck and gone below just before the explosions took place.
The first bomb exploded from the left side of the truck, causing party workers to fall on each other; then the second blast struck when people were trying to get up and many were injured as they leapt off the truck when it caught fire.
Pakistan People's Party spokesman Farhatullah Babar has confirmed that Bhutto is safe and has reached her home Bilawal House in a police car. However, Rehman Malik, one of Bhutto's advisers, was injured in the attack and taken to a hospital.
Bhutto was leading a caravan to the mausoleum of Pakistan's founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, where she was to address a rally. The rally was cancelled after the explosions.
Many among those feared killed in the explosions were part of Bhutto's massive motorcade.
After the attacks, security forces immediately cordoned off the area. A high alert has been sounded in Karachi and an emergency has been declared at all government hospitals in the city.
The Inspector General of Sindh has insisted that the attack on Friday was the handiwork of suicide bombers.
''It is very difficult to identify and stop a suicide bomber in such a large crowd. It is not easy. Whenever there is a suicide attack, the security plan is not to blame. The DIG investigation has been called in and he will look into this case with his team,'' he said.
Schools and colleges in Karachi will remain closed on Friday, GEO TV reported - citing a statement issued by the provincial government.
'Conspiracy against democracy'
General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have condemned the attacks. In a statement issued by the state-run news agency, Musharraf said the attacks represented ''a conspiracy against democracy.''
Musharraf and Aziz had both asked the PPP chief to defer her homecoming and the government had said she faced a threat from pro-Taliban militants.
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the explosions, but Pakistan's Daily Times had reported on October 5 that Pakistani Taliban Commander Baitulllah Mehsud threatened to carry out suicide bomb attacks against Bhutto.
However, Bhutto's husband Asif Zardari has pinned the blame on the country's intelligence agencies, and Benazir also held a meeting with senior party leaders and demanded the sacking of the chief of Pakistan's Intelligence Bureau for failing to prevent the attack.
Meanwhile, the US has also been quick to condemn the twin bomb attacks.
''The United States condemns the violent attack in Pakistan and mourns the loss of innocent life there. Extremists will not be allowed to stop Pakistanis from selecting their representatives through an open and democratic process,'' said Gordon Johndroe, Spokesman, White House National Security Council.
The blasts have also evoked outrage from the international community with the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemning the attacks.
Ban expressed condolences to the families of the victims, and a statement from the UN stated that the Secretary-General was shocked by the blasts and trusts that all political forces in Pakistan will act together to strengthen national unity.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy also expressed his condolences and Britain has condemned the use of violence against entirely innocent people and the attempt to suppress the right of Pakistanis to express their democratic voice.
(With Agency Inputs)
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN2007 0029851&ch=10/19/2007%208:11:00%20AM
The blasts, which reports indicate were suicide attacks, took place a few feet away from Bhutto's convoy.
Witnesses said they heard an explosion that was followed by another one that occurred just to the left of Bhutto's armoured truck.
Bhutto had left the unprotected, open-air perch of the truck and gone below just before the explosions took place.
The first bomb exploded from the left side of the truck, causing party workers to fall on each other; then the second blast struck when people were trying to get up and many were injured as they leapt off the truck when it caught fire.
Pakistan People's Party spokesman Farhatullah Babar has confirmed that Bhutto is safe and has reached her home Bilawal House in a police car. However, Rehman Malik, one of Bhutto's advisers, was injured in the attack and taken to a hospital.
Bhutto was leading a caravan to the mausoleum of Pakistan's founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, where she was to address a rally. The rally was cancelled after the explosions.
Many among those feared killed in the explosions were part of Bhutto's massive motorcade.
After the attacks, security forces immediately cordoned off the area. A high alert has been sounded in Karachi and an emergency has been declared at all government hospitals in the city.
The Inspector General of Sindh has insisted that the attack on Friday was the handiwork of suicide bombers.
''It is very difficult to identify and stop a suicide bomber in such a large crowd. It is not easy. Whenever there is a suicide attack, the security plan is not to blame. The DIG investigation has been called in and he will look into this case with his team,'' he said.
Schools and colleges in Karachi will remain closed on Friday, GEO TV reported - citing a statement issued by the provincial government.
'Conspiracy against democracy'
General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have condemned the attacks. In a statement issued by the state-run news agency, Musharraf said the attacks represented ''a conspiracy against democracy.''
Musharraf and Aziz had both asked the PPP chief to defer her homecoming and the government had said she faced a threat from pro-Taliban militants.
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the explosions, but Pakistan's Daily Times had reported on October 5 that Pakistani Taliban Commander Baitulllah Mehsud threatened to carry out suicide bomb attacks against Bhutto.
However, Bhutto's husband Asif Zardari has pinned the blame on the country's intelligence agencies, and Benazir also held a meeting with senior party leaders and demanded the sacking of the chief of Pakistan's Intelligence Bureau for failing to prevent the attack.
Meanwhile, the US has also been quick to condemn the twin bomb attacks.
''The United States condemns the violent attack in Pakistan and mourns the loss of innocent life there. Extremists will not be allowed to stop Pakistanis from selecting their representatives through an open and democratic process,'' said Gordon Johndroe, Spokesman, White House National Security Council.
The blasts have also evoked outrage from the international community with the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemning the attacks.
Ban expressed condolences to the families of the victims, and a statement from the UN stated that the Secretary-General was shocked by the blasts and trusts that all political forces in Pakistan will act together to strengthen national unity.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy also expressed his condolences and Britain has condemned the use of violence against entirely innocent people and the attempt to suppress the right of Pakistanis to express their democratic voice.
(With Agency Inputs)
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN2007 0029851&ch=10/19/2007%208:11:00%20AM
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We pray that god bless their souls, and all our wishes are with their families.
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