Pakistan

Blasts aimed at Bhutto kill 126

October 18, 2007
KARACHI, Pakistan — A suicide bombing in a crowd welcoming former prime minister Benazir Bhutto killed at least 126 people Thursday night, shattering her celebratory procession through Pakistan’s biggest city after eight years in exile.

Two explosions went off near a truck carrying Bhutto, but police and officials of her party said she was not injured and was hurried to her house. An Associated Press photo showed a dazed-looking Bhutto being helped away.

Officials at six hospitals in Karachi reported 126 dead and 248 wounded. It was believed to be the deadliest bomb attack in Pakistan’s history. Read more >>

Former PM Benazir Bhutto Returns To Pakistan

March 28, 2008
Benazir Bhutto made a dramatic return to Pakistan on Thursday, ending eight years of exile to launch an ambitious political comeback, as tens of thousands of supporters gathered to greet her amid massive security.

Bhutto, who is expected to seek the premiership for an unprecedented third time and partner in ruling Pakistan with U.S.-backed President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, was in tears as she descended the steps of a commercial flight that brought her from Dubai to Karachi, where jubilant crowds of flag-waving, drum-thumping supporters waited to give her a rousing welcome. Read more >>

Huge bomb blast shatters Bhutto homecoming

October 18, 2007
KARACHI, Pakistan — A suicide bombing in a crowd welcoming former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto killed at least 126 people Thursday night, shattering her celebratory procession through Pakistan’s biggest city after eight years in exile.

Two explosions went off near a truck carrying Bhutto, but police and officials of her party said she was not injured and was hurried to her house. An Associated Press photo showed a dazed-looking Bhutto being helped away.

Officials at six hospitals in Karachi reported 126 dead and 248 wounded. It was believed to be the deadliest bomb attack in Pakistan’s history. Read more >>

Bhutto’s Mixed Legacy For Women’s Rights

January 3, 2008
To get a sense of what kind of legacy Benazir Bhutto, the Muslim world’s first female leader, left behind for the women of Pakistan, look no further than those who were contending for the top spot in the political party she led.

The four have one thing in common: They’re all men. The job eventually went to her 19-year-old son, Bilawal Zardari, with her husband acting as a regent for the time being.

From the day Bhutto came to power nearly two decades ago, many in the West eagerly cast her as an icon for Muslim women, a role she never shied away from playing. And now her slaying in a suicide attack last week is being mourned as a blow to women’s rights in Muslim societies.

Former Pakistani premier pledges to fight for democracy against militants

October 20, 2007
KARACHI, Pakistan – Benazir Bhutto blamed al-Qaida and Taliban militants Friday for the assassination attempt against her that killed at least 136 people, and declared she would risk her life to restore democracy in Pakistan and prevent an extremist takeover.

The former premier presented a long list of foes who would like to see her dead – from loyalists of a previous military regime that executed her politician father to Islamic hard-liners bent on stopping a female leader from modernizing Pakistan.

“We believe democracy alone can save Pakistan from disintegration and a militant takeover,” Bhutto said at a news conference less than 24 hours after bombs exploded near a truck carrying her in a festive procession marking her return from eight years of self-imposed exile. Read more >>

Mothers mourn 40 bodyguards who died protecting Benazir Bhutto; some hadn’t known their sons were among the guards

October 24, 2007
Blotting tears with tattered and dusty head scarves, mothers of dozens of bodyguards killed protecting Benazir Bhutto cling to the belief that their sons died for Pakistan.

Their sons vanished in a blinding light without being able to say goodbye.

Some mothers didn’t know their sons had decided to protect Bhutto’s return from exile until they saw their charred bodies.

“If I would have known what he was doing, I would have stopped him,” said Sugra Bai Agria, whose 27-year-old son, Abdul, was among 136 people killed in last week’s suicide bombing. “But his sacrifice won’t be forgotten.”

Abdul’s third child – a girl – was born a few hours before the bomb attack. His two toddlers now climb on their fragile grandmother and await their father’s return. Lost for words, she has told his children Abdul is on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Read more >>

Bombing turns Bhutto’s triumph to horror

October 17, 2007
Benazir Bhutto’s triumphant return to Pakistan ended in horrific scenes of carnage beneath a mural declaring, “Long live Bhutto.” AP Photographer B.K. Bangash was there. Here is his account.

The first explosion sounded like a tire had blown out on a bus but as I moved closer to see, another much stronger blast hit — sending dozens of people running as balls of flames, dirt and debris erupted into the night sky.

A police van was in flames, the streets were littered with the bodies of the dead. Arms, legs and other body parts were everywhere. I heard a man calling desperately for his son. He begged me to help, but the child was no where to be found. Later I heard the boy, a 6-year-old, was dead.

He was one of scores of people killed in a suspected suicide attack that struck Bhutto’s procession as it made its way for more than 10 hours through the streets of Karachi after she returned from eight years in exile. Read more >>

Zardari open to Taliban talks

August 7, 2010
LONDON — Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari said Friday he’s willing to consider reopening negotiations with the Taliban in his country — a statement that came amid a flurry of criticism that some elements within Pakistan remain sympathetic to the extremist movement.

Zardari told The Associated Press that his country never closed the door to talks with the Taliban.

“We never closed the dialogue,” Zardari said, skirting the question of when talks could actually resume. “We had an agreement, which they broke. [Talks will resume] whenever they feel we’re strong enough and they realize they can’t win, because they won’t win. It will be a painful, difficult task, but defeat is not an option.” Read more >>

Protesters heckle, throw shoe at Zardari in UK rally

One heckler threw a shoe at Zardari during the event, missing the president, while outside the convention center police cordoned off more than 100 protesters.
Zardari told supporters his trip to Britain had been a success, and that he had raised tens of thousands of pounds for flood victims at home. Thousands crowded into the convention center in the English city of Birmingham to listen to the visiting leader and other speakers from his Pakistan People’s Party. Read more >>