Benazir Bhutto 'killed in blast'

Byrnzie
Byrnzie Posts: 21,037
edited December 2007 in A Moving Train
Thursday, 27 December 2007, 13:53 GMT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7161590.stm

Pakistani former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has been killed in a presumed suicide attack, a military spokesman has announced on TV.

Earlier reports said Ms Bhutto had only been injured and taken to hospital.

Ms Bhutto had just addressed a pre-election rally in the town of Rawalpindi when the bomb went off.

At least 15 other people are reported killed in the attack and several more were injured. Ms Bhutto had twice been the country's prime minister.

She was campaigning ahead of elections due in January.

The explosion occurred close to an entrance gate of the park in Rawalpindi where Ms Bhutto had been speaking.

PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar initially said that Ms Bhutto was safe. But later he told the BBC that Ms Bhutto had died.

Another member of the PPP, Wasif Ali Khan, told the Associated Press news agency from the Rawalpindi General Hospital: "At 6:16 pm (1316 GMT) she expired."

Ms Bhutto returned from self-imposed exile in October after years out of Pakistan where she had faced corruption charges.

Her return was the result of a power-sharing agreement with President Musharraf in which he granted an amnesty that covered the court cases she was facing.

Since her return relations with Mr Musharraf have broken down.

On the day of her return she led a motor cavalcade through the city of Karachi. It was hit by a double suicide attack that left some 130 dead.

The PPP has the largest support in the country.

Earlier on Thursday at least four people were killed ahead of an election rally that Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was preparing to attend close to Rawalpindi.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • jlew24asu
    jlew24asu Posts: 10,118
    who has been trying to kill her and why?
  • I guess this means the Taliban will be able to take over more of Pakistan now :(
    Fucking musharaff. :<

    I knew she'd be assassinated soon, it was only a matter of time. :(
    "We have to change the concept of patriotism to one of “matriotism” — love of humanity that transcends war. A matriarch would never send her own children off to wars that kill other people’s children." Cindy Sheehan
    ---
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  • Byrnzie
    Byrnzie Posts: 21,037
    jlew24asu wrote:
    who has been trying to kill her and why?

    Who knows? Musharraf supporters maybe.

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22406555/
    'Both of her brothers died in mysterious circumstances and she had said al-Qaida assassins tried to kill her several times in the 1990s.

    Intelligence reports have said al-Qaida, the Taliban and Pakistani jihadi groups have sent suicide bombers after her.'
  • jlew24asu
    jlew24asu Posts: 10,118
    I guess this means the Taliban will be able to take over more of Pakistan now :(
    Fucking musharaff. :<
    why will the taliban take over now? and why is this musharaff's fault?
  • jlew24asu
    jlew24asu Posts: 10,118
    Byrnzie wrote:
    Who knows? Musharraf supporters maybe.

    I can't say I'm surprised by this. par for the course. just doesnt make much sense though, what threat did she pose to musharraf? he was the one who wanted to have elections in a few months
  • puremagic
    puremagic Posts: 1,907
    I am sorry she died, but is anyone surprised? She knew the minute she landed back on Pakistan soil it was only a matter of time before she would be killed. Now she's a martyr and will destabilize President Musharraf's government. She, plus her family had many enemies other than President Musharraf's immediate government
    SIN EATERS--We take the moral excrement we find in this equation and we bury it down deep inside of us so that the rest of our case can stay pure. That is the job. We are morally indefensible and absolutely necessary.
  • From what I'm reading, it looks like she was shot first. Then the assassin set off the explosives killing the other people.

    Their election this year will be about as fair as they were in El Salvador in the early 80's. Awful situation for those people.
  • even flow?
    even flow? Posts: 8,066
    If this is true? I wonder why it took so long. I have been saying all along that she wouldn't last this long and voila the deed has finally been done. Surprised? Not at all!
    You've changed your place in this world!
  • jlew24asu
    jlew24asu Posts: 10,118
    Byrnzie wrote:
    Who knows? Musharraf supporters maybe.

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22406555/
    'Both of her brothers died in mysterious circumstances and she had said al-Qaida assassins tried to kill her several times in the 1990s.

    Intelligence reports have said al-Qaida, the Taliban and Pakistani jihadi groups have sent suicide bombers after her.'


    those arent musharaff supporters. which is why its confusing to me. why wouldnt al queda and/or taliban go after musharff too. why just her? pakistan sucks
  • jlew24asu wrote:
    those arent musharaff supporters. which is why its confusing to me. why wouldnt al queda and/or taliban go after musharff too. why just her? pakistan sucks
    Musharraf has a nuclear-powered military backing him. She didn't.
  • jlew24asu
    jlew24asu Posts: 10,118
    Saturnal wrote:
    Musharraf has a nuclear-powered military backing him. She didn't.

    thats irrelevant. el queda doesnt give a fuck about that.
  • jlew24asu wrote:
    why will the taliban take over now? and why is this musharaff's fault?

    I read around the time of the first attacks a month ago that the taliban have got hold of some areas of pakistan already (close to afghanistan) and have links with musharaff's govt but I guess this was just speculation. I don't know what proof they have. I also think the coalition govt was kind of forced on musharaff and his supporters because they were never in favour of it - I think they bowed to international pressure. This assassination was only a matter of time really.
    "We have to change the concept of patriotism to one of “matriotism” — love of humanity that transcends war. A matriarch would never send her own children off to wars that kill other people’s children." Cindy Sheehan
    ---
    London, Brixton, 14 July 1993
    London, Wembley, 1996
    London, Wembley, 18 June 2007
    London, O2, 18 August 2009
    London, Hammersmith Apollo (Ed solo), 31 July 2012
    Milton Keynes Bowl, 11 July 2014
    London, Hammersmith Apollo (Ed solo), 06 June 2017
    London, O2, 18 June 2018
    London, O2, 17 July 2018
    Amsterdam, Afas Live (Ed solo), 09 June 2019
    Amsterdam, Afas Live (Ed solo), 10 June 2019



  • jlew24asu wrote:
    thats irrelevant. el queda doesnt give a fuck about that.
    I mean he's more protected than she. He's harder to get to. It still may happen.
  • jlew24asu
    jlew24asu Posts: 10,118
    true true.


    what a fucked up country. and they have nukes.
  • Clarice
    Clarice Posts: 256
    puremagic wrote:
    I am sorry she died, but is anyone surprised? She knew the minute she landed back on Pakistan soil it was only a matter of time before she would be killed. Now she's a martyr and will destabilize President Musharraf's government. She, plus her family had many enemies other than President Musharraf's immediate government


    It´s not surprise, but still insane. I agree, the opposition has one martyr in their hands and future of the country is uncertain. The hatred is growing up between the pakistani.. no make sense for me...it´s very sad
  • my2hands
    my2hands Posts: 17,117
    Byrnzie wrote:
    Pakistani former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has been killed

    what a shocker...
  • I just heard this on the radio.

    civil war? maybe.... *shakes head*
    Been to this many PJ shows: Reading 2006 London 2007 Manchester & London 2009 Dublin, Belfast, London, Nijmegen & Berlin 2010 Manchester 1 & Manchester 2 2012...

    ... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
  • there are so many different factions there trying to kill each other its hard to say who did it. i'm glad i dont live in Pakistan..
  • puremagic
    puremagic Posts: 1,907
    Why did she come out of safe exile. My thoughts

    She came out of the safe exile in Dubai knowing that she would never live to replace Musharraf but through her death cause Musharraf's downfall. I believe that Bhutto was encouraged that there was weakness in that Musharraf power as he was taking some heat from the West on the issue of terrorist using their border. She was convinced that she with her name, her family background could take on Musharraf. I don't pretend to understand the "tribal" roots deeply embedded in the middle east culture, but it is evident that it is worth dying for over and over again and through generations. The person or people that planned this attack may now be considered terrorists under our definition, but may have been influenced from rooted past Bhutto familty actions.
    SIN EATERS--We take the moral excrement we find in this equation and we bury it down deep inside of us so that the rest of our case can stay pure. That is the job. We are morally indefensible and absolutely necessary.
  • Great news if you were in the oil market.
    :rolleyes:

    Up $2,000 a contract.
    :D

    FYI - Bush to weigh in with his not so-necessary, probably fairly unsubstantial comments from his purdy lil' ranch at 11:00am EST.

    FYI2 - Crude oil inventories down 2.8 million barrels. Expect oil to climb back up towards 100 a drum :D
    If I was to smile and I held out my hand
    If I opened it now would you not understand?