NDTV : Bhutto calls for inquiry

Bhutto calls for inquiry

Karachi | October 19, 2007

Hours after former prime minister Benazir Bhutto escaped a bid on her life, she addressed the press saying she had known there would be a blast.

"Those who died were sacrificed for the cause of democracy. Those who planned the attack on me are not Muslims. I had known there would be a blast, that is why I didn't want top leaders with me," she said.

Bhutto repeatedly maintained she was not blaming the government for the attack but called for an inquiry into the bloody act.

She further pointed out that during the rally, the streetlights had been switched out, which hampered security personnel from looking out for suicide bombers.

"Why were the streetlights along the entire stretch of the road switched off? Had the streetlights been on, our guards would have spotted the bombers," she questioned.

Bhutto escaped unhurt in the suicide blast but the devastation, with lakhs of people on the street to welcome her, was of tragic proportions.

At least 135 people died in two massive blasts in Karachi along the route of Bhutto's convoy, hours after she set foot on Pakistan soil after eight long years in self exile.

On his part, President Pervez Musharaf has condemned the attack and asked security agencies to submit a report within 48 hours.

Earlier, Bhutto also spoke to Musharraf and asked that the attackers be caught and punished. She further said that the political blame game must stop immediately.

Who done it?

Soon after the blasts, Bhutto's husband Asif Zardari also pinned the blame on the country's intelligence agencies while the Pakistan People's Party said it will file police complaints.

And after a meeting with their leader at Bilawal House, where she is staying after the attacks, the party members blamed the ruling PML(Q).

"This is an act of terrorism, not done by any terrorist but an act of terrorism done by the government," said Nabeel Gabool, member, Pakistan People's Party.

Others say Musharraf is to blame for the blasts which rocked the city in the wee hours on Friday.

"We thought that space had been created for politics in Pakistan. But this incident has proved that the dictatorship has firmly entrenched in Pakistan and they don't want any political activity," said Sardar Rahim, Spokesperson, Pakistan Muslim League (N).

Ground realities

On the ground, witnesses confirmed it was a carefully orchestrated attack. There was a grenade explosion followed by a huge blast and timed to go off within two minutes of each other.

The fact that the explosion came from within a government vehicle - a police car - right next to the armoured truck, leads many to believe it was the intelligence agencies.

"I was in a vehicle next to Benazir's. We tried to pull up next to her. That is when the first blast happened. We heard loud screams. When I looked around, there were bodies lying all around," said an eyewitness.

"There was a big explosion. Bodies were strewn all around. People thought a tyre had burst. Minutes later, there was a second blast. We inquired if Madam Benazir was alright. Fortunately, she was inside her vehicle and thus was saved from any harm," the witness added.

However, the administration insists it was the handiwork of suicide bombers and it was the very same pro-Al-Qaida group that issued death threats before Benazir's arrival.

Pakistan's Daily Times had reported earlier this month that Pakistani Taliban Commander Baitulllah Mehsud threatened to carry out suicide bomb attacks against Bhutto.

Inspector General of Sindh said, "It is very difficult to identify and stop a suicide bomber in such a large crowd. It is not easy. Whenever there is a suicide attack, the security plan is not to blame. The DIG investigation has been called in and he will look into this case with his team."

The worry is that there may be violent clashes with the opposition MQM, which says it would rather wait for an inquiry and that Benazir clearly is out of touch with the Pakistan she left eight years ago.

Fear and panic

The massive blasts, along the route of Bhutto's convoy, went off hours after she set foot on Pakistan soil after eight long years of self imposed exile.

The attack took place as Bhutto's motorcade made its way from the airport to the mausoleum of Pakistan's founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

The first bomb exploded a little after midnight from the left side of Bhutto's truck. Moments later, the second and more powerful blast struck.

The explosions, which caused considerable damage to Bhutto's truck, triggered panic across the city. Schools and colleges in Karachi will remain closed on Friday.

The daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir became one of the first democratically elected female prime minister in an Islamic country in 1988. Her regime collapsed in 1990.

She again became prime minister in 1993 and ruled for three years. On both occasions, her governance was accompanied by charges of corruption against her and her husband Asif Zardari.

Bhutto left Pakistan in 1999 to live abroad shortly after her conviction by the Supreme Court.