World outraged, fearful over Bhutto assassination

[Spencer Collins]

World outraged, fearful over Bhutto assassination

By Matthew Tostevin


LONDON, Dec 27 (Reuters) - World leaders voiced outrage at the assassination on Thursday of Pakistan's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and expressed fears for the fate of the nuclear-armed state.

U.S. President George W. Bush condemned the killing as a "cowardly act" and urged Pakistanis to go ahead with a planned election. Russian President Vladimir Putin called it "a barbaric act of terrorism" that was a challenge to the world.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Bhutto had risked everything to try and bring democracy to her country, of which Britain used to be the colonial ruler.

"The terrorists must not be allowed to kill democracy in Pakistan," he said.

Bhutto was killed in a gun and bomb attack as she left a rally ahead of an election due on Jan. 8. The identity of the attacker was not immediately clear, but Islamist militants have been blamed for a previous assassination bid.

"The subcontinent has lost an outstanding leader who worked for democracy and reconciliation in her country," said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India, Pakistan's giant neighbour and nuclear rival.

"The manner of her going is a reminder of the common dangers that our region faces from cowardly acts of terrorism and of the need to eradicate this dangerous threat."

French President Nicolas Sarkozy called the killing odious.

"France, like the European Union, is particularly attached to stability and democracy in Pakistan," he said in a letter to Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf.



FEAR

Pakistan was already a big global worry.

The U.S. ally has been struggling to contain Islamist violence while Musharraf, whose popularity has slumped, only lifted a state of emergency on Dec. 15 after six weeks.

Bush urged Pakistanis to honour Bhutto's memory by continuing with the democratic process and said those behind the attack must be brought to justice.

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World outraged, fearful over Bhutto assassination | Reuters

Today the world is outraged on this assault on democracy,tomorrow we must double our efforts to defend and encourage democracy!

[saltwn]

May her death at least become a catalyst for Pakistan's search for liberty.