Pakistan burns after Bhutto's killing
Pakistan puts its paramilitary forces on red alert across the country after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto sparked violent protests by her supporters.
By Agencies |
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan put its paramilitary forces on 'red alert' across the country on Thursday after the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto sparked violent protests by her supporters. President Pervez Musharraf denounced what he called a terrorist attack and appealed for calm after angry backers of the slain former prime minister took to the streets across Pakistan.
The unrest was predictably fiercest in her native Sindh province and its capital, Karachi. "Police in Sindh have been put on red alert," said a senior police official. "We have increased deployment and are patrolling in all the towns and cities, as there is trouble almost everywhere." Reports said security was deteriorating in Karachi, where thousands poured on to the streets to protest.
At least three banks, a government office and a post office were set on fire, a witness said. Tyres were set on fire on many roads, and shooting and stone-throwing was reported in many places. Most shops and markets in the city shut down.
The unrest was predictably fiercest in her native Sindh province and its capital, Karachi. "Police in Sindh have been put on red alert," said a senior police official. "We have increased deployment and are patrolling in all the towns and cities, as there is trouble almost everywhere." Reports said security was deteriorating in Karachi, where thousands poured on to the streets to protest.
At least three banks, a government office and a post office were set on fire, a witness said. Tyres were set on fire on many roads, and shooting and stone-throwing was reported in many places. Most shops and markets in the city shut down.
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At least 20 vehicles were torched in the central Sindh town of Hyderabad. There were also small protests in Rawalpindi and the nearby capital, Islamabad. Protesters blocked roads with burning tyres and chanted slogans against Musharraf in Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistani Kashmir in the mountainous north. Police said they had been ordered to block the main road between Punjab province and Sindh province, apparently to stop the movement of protesters. Disturbances were also reported in Multan, although details were sketchy. In Lahore, Bhutto party workers burnt three buses and damaged several other vehicles, police said. Trouble was reported from the interior of Sindh province, including the Bhutto ancestral home at Larkana, police said.
"The situation is not good in the interior of Sindh. A large number of people have come out on the roads in many cities to protest," said police official Fayyaz Leghari.
Her supporters in Dubai were left in shock on Thursday following her assassination three months after she returned home. "I'm so sad. I feel that my own sister is dead," said Zubeir Bashir, Middle East spokesman for Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party. "This is a big tragedy for Pakistan. This is a very big shock for us," he said. Dozens of cars were seen outside Bhutto's home in an upmarket neighbourhood of the city on Thursday evening. The leader of Bhutto's party in the UAE, Mohammed Akran Farooqi, choked with emotion as he tried to express his grief over her killing. "I can't say anything... I'm totally upset," he said between sobs.
"The situation is not good in the interior of Sindh. A large number of people have come out on the roads in many cities to protest," said police official Fayyaz Leghari.
Her supporters in Dubai were left in shock on Thursday following her assassination three months after she returned home. "I'm so sad. I feel that my own sister is dead," said Zubeir Bashir, Middle East spokesman for Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party. "This is a big tragedy for Pakistan. This is a very big shock for us," he said. Dozens of cars were seen outside Bhutto's home in an upmarket neighbourhood of the city on Thursday evening. The leader of Bhutto's party in the UAE, Mohammed Akran Farooqi, choked with emotion as he tried to express his grief over her killing. "I can't say anything... I'm totally upset," he said between sobs.
Bhutto had received threats that suicide bombers would be sent to kill her before she returned home, but on the eve of her departure from Dubai in October she insisted she was undeterred. "I don't believe that a true Muslim will make an attack on me... Islam forbids suicide bombings," she told reporters. "I am a people's leader... I gave my word to the people of Pakistan."
Nothing is more important to me than my word," she said.
The UAE, which hosted her during her years of exile, condemned the assassination, along with governments across the Middle East.
"The UAE has been tormented by this huge loss, which did not hit Pakistan only, but also affected the UAE," foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan said in a statement carried by the official WAM news agency.
"Words fail to express our condemnation of this criminal act and our pain for the loss of Benazir Bhutto," he said, calling on the Pakistani people to "unite and put their differences aside."
The Arab League condemned what it called a 'heinous terrorist crime'. The 22-nation blocs secretary general, Amr Mussa, "offered heartfelt condolences to the Pakistani people over the tragic development," Egypt's official MENA news agency reported.
Pakistan's western neighbour Iran condemned "the criminal action today in Rawalpindi".
"The Pakistan government should use all efforts to identify the terrorist group which caused this incident and punish them to prevent terrorist groups from finding opportunities to undertake such actions again," foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told state television.
Iran's regional arch foe Israel, which has no diplomatic relations with Muslim-majority Pakistan, also spoke out against the killing.
"Benazir Bhutto was a courageous woman who did not hide her ideas, did not know fear and served her country with courage," President Shimon Peres said in a statement released by his office.
"I had the opportunity to meet her on several occasions and she expressed great interest in what was happening in Israel during those encounters and said she hoped to visit once she returned to power.
"Benazir Bhutto was a charismatic leader and a determined combatant for peace in her country and in the world," said Peres, who won the Nobel peace prize for his efforts for Middle East peace.
Jordan and Syria also voiced their condemnation.
Nothing is more important to me than my word," she said.
The UAE, which hosted her during her years of exile, condemned the assassination, along with governments across the Middle East.
"The UAE has been tormented by this huge loss, which did not hit Pakistan only, but also affected the UAE," foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan said in a statement carried by the official WAM news agency.
"Words fail to express our condemnation of this criminal act and our pain for the loss of Benazir Bhutto," he said, calling on the Pakistani people to "unite and put their differences aside."
The Arab League condemned what it called a 'heinous terrorist crime'. The 22-nation blocs secretary general, Amr Mussa, "offered heartfelt condolences to the Pakistani people over the tragic development," Egypt's official MENA news agency reported.
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Pakistan's western neighbour Iran condemned "the criminal action today in Rawalpindi".
"The Pakistan government should use all efforts to identify the terrorist group which caused this incident and punish them to prevent terrorist groups from finding opportunities to undertake such actions again," foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told state television.
Iran's regional arch foe Israel, which has no diplomatic relations with Muslim-majority Pakistan, also spoke out against the killing.
"Benazir Bhutto was a courageous woman who did not hide her ideas, did not know fear and served her country with courage," President Shimon Peres said in a statement released by his office.
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"I had the opportunity to meet her on several occasions and she expressed great interest in what was happening in Israel during those encounters and said she hoped to visit once she returned to power.
"Benazir Bhutto was a charismatic leader and a determined combatant for peace in her country and in the world," said Peres, who won the Nobel peace prize for his efforts for Middle East peace.
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Jordan and Syria also voiced their condemnation.
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