[funkdoctorspock]

First of all RIP.

Secondly, can someone with some knowledge on this topic shed some light on it for me. Why was Bhutto so hated/targeted?

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday outside a large gathering of her supporters where a suicide bomber also killed at least 14, doctors and a spokesman for her party said.

While Bhutto appeared to have died from bullet wounds, it was not immediately clear if she was shot or if her wounds were caused by bomb shrapnel.

President Pervez Musharraf held an emergency meeting in the hours after the death, according to state media.

Police warned citizens to stay home as they expected rioting to break out in city streets in reaction to the death.

Police sources told CNN the bomber, who was riding a motorcycle, blew himself up near Bhutto's vehicle.

Bhutto was rushed to Rawalpindi General Hospital -- less than two miles from the bombing scene -- where doctors pronounced her dead.

Former Pakistan government spokesman Tariq Azim Khan said while it appeared Bhutto was shot, it was unclear if the bullet wounds to her head and neck were caused by a shooting or if it was shrapnel from the bomb.

Bhutto's husband issued a statement from his home in Dubai saying, "All I can say is we're devastated, it's a total shock."

President Bush, vacationing at his Texas ranch, has been "informed about the situation in Pakistan," said the White House. "We condemn the acts of violence which took place today in Pakistan," said a spokesman.

The number of wounded was not immediately known. However, video of the scene showed ambulances lined up to take many to hospitals.

The attack came just hours after four supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif died when members of another political party opened fire on them at a rally near the Islamabad airport Thursday, Pakistan police said.

Several other members of Sharif's party were wounded, police said.

Bhutto, who led Paksitan from 1988 to 1990 and was the first female prime minister of any Islamic nation, was participating in the parliamentary election set for January 8, hoping for a third term.

A terror attack targeting her motorcade in Karachi killed 136 people on the day she returned to Pakistan after eight years of self-imposed exile. View timeline. »

CNN's Mohsin Naqvi, who was at the scene of both bombings, said Thursday's blast was not as powerful as that October attack.

Thursday's attacks come less than two weeks after Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf lifted an emergency declaration he said was necessary to secure his country from terrorists.

Bhutto had been critical of what she believed was a lack of effort by Musharraf's government to protect her.

Two weeks after the October assassination attempt, she wrote a commentary for CNN.com in which she questioned why Pakistan investigators refused international offers of help in finding the attackers.

"The sham investigation of the October 19 massacre and the attempt by the ruling party to politically capitalize on this catastrophe are discomforting, but do not suggest any direct involvement by General Pervez Musharraf," Bhutto wrote
Click

[Dirtycheat]

i dont know much about this exept that the current prime minister isnt very well liked nor is bhutto but she isnt as bad. They put her under house arrest and attacked her fans, now they killed her (because that will solve everything

RIP

[prateik]

bhutto's father was the prime minister in the late 70's .. there was a coup (general zia) and he was sentenced to death

she was imprisoned .. she then left the country , became the leader of the PPP and came back in 1986 , soon after that general zia died (mysterious circumstances )and she became the prime minister for the first time

soon removed from the post on charges of corruption , she was reelected in 92 or 93 and after her brother left her party , he was shot and killed by the police
there were reports that benazir had something to do with it .. nothing proven ..

she was removed from her post again on charges of corruption..
exiled .. came back this year .




* its what i remember .. few facts might be a bit off .. but she was corrupt .. not a great person ..

she was no angel.. but noone deserves to die that way

[RobsonLegend]

She was also perceived as a sellout to the Western world (read: USA) during her tenure as leader of the country.

[swatson]

Well I agree with most people's opinions here. As someone said before she was not an angel but then who is nowadays? Especially being a politiian? Nonetheless, its very sad to see such turmoil in the nation.

[dtunam]

well tbh pakistan is going down the shithole. I know my comment is controversial, but knowing a lot of pakistani's i can surely say that the democratic government was much worse than Musharraf's rule. Pakistan's reputation has suffered a lot due to recent events, something really needs to be done in that country. Here is to hoping something is done soon to restore peace and order.

[Dirtycheat]

Originally Posted by swatson

Well I agree with most people's opinions here. As someone said before she was not an angel but then who is nowadays? Especially being a politiian? Nonetheless, its very sad to see such turmoil in the nation.

i agree totally. Many politicians have a lot to answer for themselves and many of those are world leaders. Same goes for many past politicians.

Originally Posted by dtunam

well tbh pakistan is going down the shithole. I know my comment is controversial, but knowing a lot of pakistani's i can surely say that the democratic government was much worse than Musharraf's rule. Pakistan's reputation has suffered a lot due to recent events, something really needs to be done in that country. Here is to hoping something is done soon to restore peace and order.

i agree, its only going to get worse in the short term. It will only get more unstable but lets hope it doesnt reach the point of civil war. Pakistan need to sort this out themselves and soon. Based on the recent success rate of "Regime change" or whatever you chose call it, If it reaches a point where another country has to intervene then pakistan will permanently be down the shit hole.

[Jorquera]

I'm interested in how India has reacted to this? I heard on news that India has secured their borders with Pakistan but have they made any official statements concerning this incident.

[RobsonLegend]

India's probably content to sit back and let Pakistan simmer internally for a while. As long as there's no border threat, I don't think India sees a need for a response.

Lots of differing accounts as to how Ms. Bhutto actually died came to light over the last few days, and now it looks as if the Pakistani government is retracting its original conclusion.

Something stinks in all this.