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Karachi: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto yesterday said the suicide bomb attack on her motorcade on Thursday that killed at least 133 people was not on her but on democracy.
"The attack was on what I represent. The attack was on democracy and the very unity and integrity of Pakistan," she told a crowed press conference at Bilawal House in Karachi.
Bhutto said the dastardly attack was intended to intimidate and blackmail the political forces that work for democracy in the country.
"But let it be known to the perpetrators of the crime that the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) will not be deterred. We will continue to raise voice and fight for the peoples' rights, come what may."
Bhutto said she knew about the planned attack. She said that she had already mentioned three names in a letter to President General Pervez Musharraf on October 16 - two days before her return to Pakistan.
"The government is not involved but some individuals in the government are responsible for the bomb blasts. They are not Al Qaida or Taliban," Bhutto said. She, however, did not reveal the names.
Spy agency blamed
"A lot of money is involved in the politics of suicide bombing and it is the same mafia which is involved in militant activities," she said.
A relaxed-looking Bhutto said she was also warned by a neighbouring country about the attacks.
"I told General Musharraf that 'these people' will be responsible if anything happened to me," she said.
"Both my party guards and police tried their best and both lost lives. I salute them," she said. Fifty of Bhutto's security guards were among those dead in the explosions.
The 54-year-old leader said she was not afraid of losing her life. "I will continue my journey for the restoration of democracy and eliminate terrorism and extremism," a determined Bhutto said.
Musharraf called Bhutto to convey his sorrow over the terrorist attack and pledged to arrest the culprits. The military ruler condemned the attack and asked political parties not to take advantage of the situation to start a blame game.
Meanwhile, in Dubai Bhutto's husband Asif Ali Zardari blamed Pakistan's intelligence agencies for the attack. He also ruled out the involvement of Al Qaida or Taliban in the savage attack.
Karachi wore a deserted look yesterday as people stayed indoors for fear of clashes. Police and security personnel continued patrolling the streets and hundreds of policemen were deployed at sensitive locations. Sporadic clashes were also reported.
Cables: UAE leaders condemn blasts
The UAE President yesterday strongly condemned the terror attack in Pakistan that killed and maimed scores of people.
President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in cables of condolences to Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf and the former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, also conveyed sympathies of the nation to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery. Shaikh Khalifa expressed solidarity with Pakistan.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has also sent similar cables to the Pakistani president and Benazir Bhutto.
Similarly, General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, also sent cables of condolences to Musharraf and Benazir.
- WAM
Timeline: Recent attacks
- July 4: Suicide car bomb kills 11 in North Waziristan tribal region.
- Four civilians killed by bomb and policeman killed by rocket in the northwestern Swat Valley, a stronghold of extremists linked to the Red Mosque.
- July 6: Suicide car bomber kills four soldiers near Swat.
- July 8: Three Chinese workers shot dead in Peshawar.
- July 12: Suicide car bomber kills five people, including three policemen, in Swat. Three people die when another attacker blows himself up at a government office in Miranshah, North Waziristan.
- July 14: Twenty-four killed in a suicide attack on a military convoy in North Waziristan.
- July 15: Suicide attacks kill more than 40 people in northwest Pakistan, including 26 at a police recruitment centre.
Pro-Taliban militants in North Waziristan break a 10-month-old peace accord with the government.
- July 17: Seventeen people killed in a suicide attack on a rally addressed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.
Suicide bomber kills three soldiers and a civilian in North Waziristan.
- July 19: Three suicide attacks kill more than 50 people. The deadliest attack targets Chinese workers in the southwest but kills locals. Another attack targets an army mosque in the northwest.
- July 27: A suicide attack during protests in Islamabad sparked by the reopening of the Red Mosque kills 15.
- August 10: Militants in the South Waziristan tribal zone kidnap 16 soldiers and later behead one. The others are released after about three weeks.
- August 13: Four people killed by a roadside bomb on the eve of celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of independence.
- August 18: Two soldiers killed in a suicide attack in North Waziristan.
- August 20: Three soldiers killed in suicide attack in the northwestern town of Hangu.
- August 24: Suicide bomber kills five soldiers and wounds 30 in attack on convoy in Waziristan. Another suicide bomber kills a soldier hours later.
- August 26: Suicide bomber kills four policemen in northwestern Swat valley.
- August 30: More than 150 soldiers left "stranded" in South Waziristan amid tensions with militants. Army says they are safe, rebels claim they are held captive.
- September 1: Three soldiers and two civilians killed in suicide attack in Bajaur tribal zone.
- September 4: Suicide attackers target a military bus and a market killing at least 25 people near the military headquarters in Rawalpindi.
- September 11: Suicide bomber kills 16 people in Dera Ismail Khan.
- September 13: 15 soldiers killed in suicide bombing in an army canteen near Islamabad.
- October 1: A suicide bomber in a burqa strikes at a police checkpost in the northwestern region, killing at least 15 people.
- October 3: Landmine kills 14 bus passengers in North Waziristan.
- October 18: Two blasts targeting former premier Benazir Bhutto kill at least 133 people in Karachi hours after she returns to the country for the first time in eight years.
- Agencies
Your comments
To whoever might have caused the bomb blast: Innocent lives have been lost. On whose sleeves we must seek the blood of the dead? Benazir's? Who opted to go in the caravan to display the show of her party. Or the Administration, who failed to prevent the blast?
Zahid
Dubai,UAE
Posted: October 20, 2007, 11:30
I think the suicide bombing attack on Benazir was pre-planned by the PPP, to gain popularity and sympathy for Benazir.
Imdad
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: October 20, 2007, 09:56
Senior politicians like Navs Sherif, Benazir Bhutto and Pervez Musharraf should be fired from office. They have really not done anything good for Pakistan.
Shiyas
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: October 20, 2007, 07:23
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