Pakistan former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has died after a suicide bombing that killed at least 14 of her supporters, ex-government spokesman Tariq Azim Khan and Pakistan’s primary television networks said.
Bhutto is helped from her vehicle following the October 18 suicide attack on her motorcade.
 Bhutto suffered bullet wounds in the aftermath of the bomb attack, TV networks report.
Video of the scene just moments before the explosion showed Bhutto stepping into a heavily-guarded vehicle to leave the rally.
Khan said while it appeared Bhutto was shot, it was unclear if her bullet wounds were caused by a shooting or shrapnel from the bomb.
The suicide attack left at least 14 dead and 40 injured, Khan told CNN in a telephone interview.
The attacker is said to have detonated a bomb as he tried to enter the rally where thousands of people gathered to hear Bhutto speak, police said.
Video from the scene of the blast broadcast from Geo TV showed wounded people being loaded into ambulances.
Up to 20 people are dead, the report said.
Earlier, four supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif died when members of another political party opened fire on them at a rally near the Islamabad airport Friday, local police said.
Several other members of Sharif’s party were wounded, police added.
While President Pervez Musharraf has promised free and fair parliamentary elections next month, continued instability in the tribal areas and the threat of attack on large crowds has kept people from attending political rallies and dampened the country’s political process.
Campaigners from various political groups say fewer people are coming out to show their support due to government crackdowns and the threat of violence.
At least 136 people were killed and more than 387 wounded on October 18 when a suicide bomber attacked Bhutto’s slow-moving motorcade. The former PM returned to the country after eight years of self-imposed exile to a massive show of support in the southern port city of Karachi.
Bhutto called it “an attack on democracy” and vowed it would not deter her political campaign.
Thursday’s violence come less than two weeks ahead of January parliamentary elections and as many days after President Pervez Musharraf lifted a six-week-old state of emergency he said was necessary to ensure the country’s stability.
Critics said Musharraf’s political maneuvering was meant to stifle the country’s judiciary as well as curb the media and opposition groups to secure more power.
CNN’s Mohsin Naqvi contributes to this report
Video from the scene of the blast broadcast from Geo TV showed wounded people being loaded into ambulances.
Up to 20 people are dead, the report said.
Earlier, four supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif died when members of another political party opened fire on them at a rally near the Islamabad airport Friday, local police said.
Several other members of Sharif’s party were wounded, police added.
While President Pervez Musharraf has promised free and fair parliamentary elections next month, continued instability in the tribal areas and the threat of attack on large crowds has kept people from attending political rallies and dampened the country’s political process.
Campaigners from various political groups say fewer people are coming out to show their support due to government crackdowns and the threat of violence.
At least 136 people were killed and more than 387 wounded on October 18 when a suicide bomber attacked Bhutto’s slow-moving motorcade. The former PM returned to the country after eight years of self-imposed exile to a massive show of support in the southern port city of Karachi.
Bhutto called it “an attack on democracy” and vowed it would not deter her political campaign.
Today’s violence come less than two weeks ahead of January parliamentary elections and as many days after President Pervez Musharraf lifted a six-week-old state of emergency he said was necessary to ensure the country’s stability.
Critics said Musharraf’s political maneuvering was meant to stifle the country’s judiciary as well as curb the media and opposition groups to secure more power
[CNN]
Very sad news …May ALLAH help Pakistan & every Pakistani AAMEEN!
What a courageous lady, sad indeed the pakistan pipo!!
A lesson worth learning about politics and miscalculated dreams for Joze,Pundit, Mutunza,FACT,Chapi & the so called SAGE.Bottom line Sata and his surrogates will never step in Nkwazi house.It takes multiple sophisticated skills and listening abilities to fillers to survive in politics.Signals are sent even here but instead you resort to insults. Time will tell.
3. Anonymous
How come your postings are not coherent with the topics being discussed. You have posted 4 articles about Bhutto under the “Zesco Hikes Tarrifs” story, now on Bhutto yoy are talking about Sata!? Whats going on?
Anonymous,
Quit being tawdry and concentrate on our toipics. It would also being helpful if you studied the politics in Pakistan over a long period of time. When we blog here, let us educate each other rather than being petty.
Another nail in the coffin on democracy.Its a sad day for Pakistan.I hope sense will prevail and the country will not go into chaos as this is the aim of these detractors
Shame on Musharaf and his clonies!!!
This is an appalling act of terrorism. Pakistan has lost one of its bravest daughters. Those responsible have not only murdered a courageous leader but have put at risk hopes for the country’s return to democracy.In targeting Benazir Bhutto extremist groups have in their sights all those committed to democratic processes in Pakistan. They cannot and must not succeed.
Pakistan is a terrorist state, and this is no suprise. I wonder why the US keep siding with pakistan and yet condemn terrorism. I dont even know why these *****s have nuclear power with such behaviour.
Death is always a sad thing, wether you liked the person or not,
it is even sad that after all these years of human civilisation there are still people who decide to kill others in this way, all i can say is that it`s sad to lose people like this, God help us.
Generally,you don’t dare islamic fascists, its sad but long awaited.
# 3 Foolish comments.
#12,
Nowonder you are called anonymous!!! Can’t you see the foolishness is in your head? I’m sorry to tell you this but you appear you don’t understand yourself! YOUR THINKING CAPACITY IS VERY SHALLOW!!! I advise you to retreat a bit then reposition urself and see if you can bring meaningful contribution here.
King D, let me take this excited man-for-nothing on your behalf. He may have access to the internet but he appears illiterate. Nowonder he can’t see any wrong in his uncle Muwelewele..
#3 Try fishing. U dont belong here.
Meanwhile, if Bhutto was a youth and in Zed, nga ni gelo wandi.
Thanx Big ‘thang’, anony is a serious attention seekers who will go to great lengths to get noticed. When we lampoon Muwelewele we dont neccessarily then belong to PF but as concerned Zedians, we have an unalienable right to speak on the affairs obtaining back home. Be reminded that we shall continue to speak.
I remember as a small boy when Ms Bhutto ascended to power in Pakistan. She was my idol as to what a woman can do in this man’s world. Sadly she gone in her prime of her life. MHSRIP
Very sad moment for the pipo of Pakistan.But she knew what she was getting herself into.She died for what she belived in.God help those who have dreams to make a change in this world,for those doing this for their own gain.god help the common man who sits and waits for that promised change.Thoughts go out for her children&husband she has left behind.
Musharaf himself is a dictator and terrorist. He is the one who has killed Bhutto. Nawaz Sharif, another fomer prime minister of Pakistan who was ousted from power by Gen. Musharaf, better stay in exhile. Otherwise, he will the next victim. Pervez Musharaf as his name suggest, his perveted with power indeed.
Benazir had it coming.the political signals that sounded way before she returned where that assasination was on the cards.She lost power due to corruption so what did her comeback promise the pipo of Pakistan? Imran Khan was smarter it would seem..he bolted at the first sign of trouble.Pakistani politics is complex and the army control it even though Musharraf “apparently” stepped down!!A death is always sad but Bhutto was never gonna “save” the Paki’s!!
Far-fetched!
Sad indeed. More evidence that Islam is religion of ‘peace’
R.I.P Madam Bhutto! Brave but you made a mistake messing with Sharra! The guy is bad news i hear Bush is so scared of him he keeps on bankrolling him. Can moderator please block Anonymous for being dull and illiterate?
Ba anonymous should be some disgruntled and ignorant chap and I feel this forum should be ignoring such low thinking individuals. No one should even be contributing to his views so that he would realise that his views are off track and that way he will either improve or stop the rot. ANYWAY its a very sad moment to loose such a courageus lady and i was just wishing we had that type in Zambian politics. Elyo na ba Ben Bamfuchile is DEAD what a day. RIP BB and BB. Both had the same initials.
Sad indeed,these extremists wants the world to go back to the stone age. Keep your guard mother Zambia. These terrorists don’t choose where to hit. Be vigilant. We should not cheat ourselves that we are safe. Where they see peace, they will bring chaos. BB rest in peace.
NB. REMEMBER KENYA AND TANZANIA.
Chileshe Mulenga ,
Don’t labor to sale your ignorance and hypocrisy to me.If you are born ignorant believing that there are no engineered deaths in politics, that is your own ignorance.Read Kaweche Kaunda’s fire on Chiluba in the post about the death of his childhood buddy Baldwin Nkumbula and his late elder brother Wezi.If Bhutto maintained her exile status, her ending could have been humane.And what is courageus about her return to a country she raped in corruption and knew the pain?
Learn to be men of valor who can point at blunders without unnecessary cover ups.Had Samora not been in international politics, he would have died that bad.Had Chigaga not attended some multilateral institutional meeting inclined to revolutionary change, he could be still be here with us.Had Smart young Paul Tembo not stood in the way of Chiluba’s political dream, he couldn’t have taken some pistol bullets in his bedroom.
Learn to be men of valor who can point at blunders without unnecessary cover ups.Had Samora not been in international politics, he wouldn’t have died that bad.Had Chigaga not attended some multilateral institutional meeting inclined to a revolutionary change, he could be still be here with us.Had Smart young Paul Tembo not stood in the way of Chiluba’s political dream, he couldn’t have taken some pistol bullets in his bedroom.
Enter the political arena in your state of denial that there is absolute no engineered death in politics, i beat you posterity will judge you harshly.Chiluba tried many times on KK a survivor of many.Sata resorted to matcheting opponents with pangas over the third term debacle.In Kitwe the PF MP Davis Mwila is facing the law for organizing death squads against the pro-NCC MPS. All that murderous thinking is politically motivated. Here we have had Ba Joze campaign for military coups.
Very very sad indeed. If only she’d heeded the advice of her security detail. Politics is a dirty game. Nibene Musharraf bamwipeye, nefyama extremists fyabufi. Its like stupid-fred trying to convince us ati bakabolala ebaipeye penza, wezi, na paul tembo. Dictators always want to stand against themselves, thats why they poach all opposition members they possibly can and eliminate the steadfast.
Chabipa “umukashana” mwe, may her soul rest in peace.
You guys please learn to point fingers in the right directions. Who brockered BB’s return to Pakistan? I believe Pakistan is SAFER with Sharra at the helm. This is a country of 120million complex minds and armed to the teeth that abena bush feels has to be tamed in the name of democracy. Bush pitted BB against Sharra and a pawn called Nawaz. I blame the so called “proponents of democracy”. The country is not ripe for democracy, needs autocracy, anarchy and tribalism to progress. I support none!
i quote from William Darymple:-Mourn Benazir,but she was not the solution!”the tragedy of BB’s end should not blind us to her astonishing weak record as a politician.Much of the praise heaped on her is misplaced,her democratic credentials were far from impeccable,she colluded in massive human rights abuses,during her tenure govt. death squads were responsible for the abduction & murder of her opponents!
Amnesty Inter. accused her govt. of having one of the worlds worst records of custodial deaths,killings and torture!!Within her own party she declared herself life president and had her brother shot dead when he challenged her.Benazirs own mother also believes she ordered the kill!Bhutto & her husband Zardari(widely known as Mr 10%)faced corruption charges in pakistan,Switzerland,UK&US!
personally & intellectually she was a lightweight,with little grasp of economics nor did she subscribe to any firm political philosophy.Her favorite books were Mills & Boon!Benazir was a notably inept administrator-during her 1st 20 month long premiership she failed to pass a single piece of legislation.the recent deal between her & Sharraf was intended to exclude her main rival Nawaz Sharif
i found this research a very interesting expose of Benazir.Today Benazir is hailed as a martyr for democracy yet in many ways she did nothing for the strange “Paki” variety of democracy.”Paki” democracy is really a form of “elective feudalism that encourages Islamist extremism!!
All that glitters is not gold – an ideal description of our dearly departed sister, Benazir Bhutto!!
I leave it to you all to make up your own minds !
#29 Shula are u sure a rapist of democracy such as your sharra is is best suited to move that country forward? Whats 120 million? There are countries with bigger populations and more sophisticated minds that are still governable through democracy. Autocracy cannot sustain development.
Elo brockering someone’s return can be used, like happened, as a smoke screen to hoodwink your likes into thinking your sharra is a good guy. State agents were involved in Bhutto’s killing…..
34 cont’d
…thats why they are even giving a childish version of events, umuntu was clearly shot(as the video shows) nomba ati awe she struck her head kuchishimbi. Pliz….