Benazir Bhutto had been addressing rallies in many parts of Pakistan
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 had been campaigning ahead of elections due in January.
The BBC's Barbara Plett says the killing is likely to provoke an agonised response from her followers, especially from her loyal following in Sindh Province.
The PPP has the largest support of any party in the country.
Scene of grief
The explosion occurred close to an entrance gate of the park in Rawalpindi where Ms Bhutto had been speaking.
The blast caused carnage
Wasif Ali Khan, a member of the PPP who was at Rawalpindi General Hospital, said she died at 1816 (1316 GMT).
Supporters at the hospital began chanting "Dog, Musharraf, dog", referring to President Pervez Musharraf, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
Some broke the glass door at the main entrance to the emergency unit as others wept.
A man with a PPP flag tied around his head could be seen beating his chest, the agency adds.
An interior ministry spokesman, Javed Cheema, was quoted as saying by AFP that she may have been killed by pellets packed into the suicide bomber's vest.
However, AP quoted a PPP security adviser as saying she was shot in the neck and chest as she got into her vehicle, before the gunman blew himself up.
Return from exile
The killing was condemned by the US and Russia, and a statement is expected shortly from the UK.
The killing undermined reconciliation in Pakistan, the US state department said.
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 had 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.
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.
Pakistani former premier BenazirBhutto (L) leaves the stage after her last election compaign rally in Rawalpindi, 27 December 2007. Pakistan opposition leader BenazirBhutto was assassinated in a suicide attack, just two months after the former premier returned from exile for a political comeback. Bhutto, a two-time former prime minister, had just addressed a campaign rally for next month's parliamentary elections when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the venue, killing her and at least 10 other people. There were unconfirmed reports that the attacker had also opened fire on her with a weapon before the explosion.
Pakistani former premier BenazirBhutto (L) and party vice president Makhdoom Amin Faheem (R) look on during her last election campaign rally in Rawalpindi 27 December 2007. Pakistan opposition leader BenazirBhutto was assassinated in a suicide attack, just two months after the former premier returned from exile for a political comeback. Bhutto, a two-time former prime minister, had just addressed a campaign rally for next month's parliamentary elections when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the venue, killing her and at least 10 other people. There were unconfirmed reports that the attacker had also opened fire on her with a weapon before the explosion.
Pakistani former premier BenazirBhutto (L) adjusts her scarf as party vice president Makhdoom Amin Faheem (R) looks towards her supporters during her last election campaign rally in Rawalpindi 27 December 2007. Pakistan opposition leader BenazirBhutto was assassinated in a suicide attack, just two months after the former premier returned from exile for a political comeback. Bhutto, a two-time former prime minister, had just addressed a campaign rally for next month's parliamentary elections when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the venue, killing her and at least 10 other people. There were unconfirmed reports that the attacker had also opened fire on her with a weapon before the explosion.
Pakistani former premier BenazirBhutto (L) and party vice president Makhdoom Amin Faheem (R) look on to her supporters during her last election compaign rally in Rawalpindi 27 December 2007. Pakistan opposition leader BenazirBhutto was assassinated in a suicide attack, just two months after the former premier returned from exile for a political comeback. Bhutto, a two-time former prime minister, had just addressed a campaign rally for next month's parliamentary elections when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the venue, killing her and at least 10 other people. There were unconfirmed reports that the attacker had also opened fire on her with a weapon before the explosion.
Former Pakistan prime minister BenazirBhutto (L) addresses an election rally in Lodhran December 25, 2007.
Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto waves to supporters after an election rally in Rawalpindi December 27, 2007, shortly before she was killed in a gun and bomb attack.
Pakistan has long remained the flash point of international terrorism. An unstable Pakistan will rupture the geo-political sembalance and peace of south Asia and consequently of the world. It was the weakness on the part of the Western allies and mainly America not to be able to help carry the Musharraf -Bhutto pact against the Taliban-Quada -Musilm ultra uprising.
The ramifications will be worse if this fundamentlist formantation is not overcome.
1) Pakistan will be in the hands of Fundamentalists.
2) All the Muslim terrorists will use Pakistan as the international centre for launching off their war of hatred against the civilized world.
3) The nuclear bombs will slip into the hands of the worst people who proclaim themselves as the most religious and the desenters as if they had no right to live.
Pervez Musharaff's ambition has turned pakistan into a very unstable country. The muslim fundamentalist has strong hold in pakistan, who can create havoc in south Asia and world. Such incidents in Pakistan will overshadow events in Nepal, where the matter is much worse. Nepal can soon be the breeding ground for the muslim and other terrorist groups because of the fragile governance and geological remoteness.
Karachi, 27 Dec. (AKI) - (by Syed Saleem Shahzad) - A spokesperson for the al-Qaeda terrorist network has claimed responsibility for the death on Thursday of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
“We terminated the most precious American asset which vowed to defeat [the] mujahadeen,†Al-Qaeda’s commander and main spokesperson Mustafa Abu Al-Yazid told Adnkronos International (AKI) in a phone call from an unknown location, speaking in faltering English. Al-Yazid is the main al-Qaeda commander in Afghanistan.
It is believed that the decision to kill Bhutto, who is the leader of the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP), was made by al-Qaeda No. 2, the Egyptian doctor, Ayman al-Zawahiri in October.
Death squads were allegedly constituted for the mission and ultimately one cell comprising a defunct Lashkar-i-Jhangvi’s Punjabi volunteer succeeded in killing Bhutto.
Pervez Musharaff' is responsible for boosting Muslim fundamentalist and he had made deals to stay in power. As long as Pervez in power the Muslim fundamentalist will be getting stronger. We may have to hear one day that the powers by religious leader like Ayatollah in Iran.
Yes i don't deny about the huge corruption her relatives did on her back while she was in power, like Sujata is doing currently on Girija's back; but i feel sorry for the way she had to go. Her father was executed and now she is assassinated. Al-qaeda saw her as an American government's move towards conquering power in Middle East. A major set back in American government's move.
Bhutto and Nawaz---never ending corrupt political circle like in Nepal of Girija,Sher, Krisha Musharif- Prachhanda alike who's at least doing something to make changes even going againt the Taliban.
I just cant belive she is dead now. I feel really sad and down. Though I dont keep track with Pakistani Political happenings, she was one of the leaders by whom I was highly influenced, rather I would say by her personailty.
From school days I was very big fan of her, at first name itself was so beautiful BENAZIR...I loved it, the other factor her looks. She was really beautiful and good looking. I found charisma on her face and the way she speaks. Whenever I saw her on TV I did not miss a glance to look.
Moreover, she was highly educated, attended the most reputed universities Oxford and Harvard, heard that she was classmate of Tony Blair. Overall she was a great personality. Though she had had bad time in politics. I am really shocked to hear this news and I sincerely hope and pray her SOUL WILL REST IN PEACE.
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