The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques condemns Bhutto’s assassination

Terrorist suicide bomber shot Bhutto, blows up her motorcade

Arab, international condemnation over Bhutto assassination

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has sent a cable of condolences to Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf on the martyrdom of Mrs. Benazir Bhutto.

Following is the text of the cable:

Mr. President Brother Pervez Musharraf of Sisterly Republic of Pakistan, Peace be upon you,

We learnt with great sorrow and regret the martyrdom of Mrs. Righteous Sister Benazir Bhutto at the hands of treachery and betrayal. As we express to your Excellency our sincere condolences, we wish that you convey our condolences to all members of her family. Through your Excellency, we address an appeal to the brotherly people of Pakistan in which we express our denunciation along with the Saudi people's condemnation of this heinous crime committed by evil killers who distanced themselves from Islam, values and morality and turned into monsters shedding innocent blood and trying to impose the law of jungle. We are confident - God willing - that the brotherly Muslim people of Pakistan will adhere to the faith and patience in the wake of this tragedy. They are such other believers who accept God's fate. Also, we are confident that, although this crime is heinous, it will not discourage the resolve of our sincere loyal sons and brothers of brotherly Pakistan. The noble people of Pakistan will not allow any one to infringe on their unity, security and stability and they will, with their strong will, overcome any opportunity that might be exploited by the enemies of Pakistan and the Islamic nation. This crime will not bring criminals nearer to their evil and wicked goals. We pray to Almighty Allah to bestow the deceased martyr with forgiveness and mercy and to reside her in paradise and to bestow condolences and patience on her family and relatives. We also pray that Almighty Allah bestow dear Pakistan and its noble people with pride, power and triumph over the gangs of evil and darkness.

In conclusion the King recited a verse of the Holy Quran, "Who say, when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return"

Bhutto died on Thursday after a suicide attack targeting her vehicle at a campaign rally in the northern city of Rawalpindi. Early reports said she had been shot before a bomb exploded nearby.

"This is the work of those terrorists with whom we are engaged in war," he said in a nationally televised speech. "I have been saying that the nation faces the greatest threats from these terrorists. Today after this tragic incident, I want to express my firm resolve. I express my resolve that – and I also seek solidarity from the nation and cooperation and help – we will not rest until we eliminate these terrorists and root them out," he said.

He also announced three days of mourning for Bhutto, during which the flag will fly at half-mast, and called for calm across the country.

"I want to appeal to the nation to remain peaceful and exercise restraint," he said.

Bhutto died Thursday evening when a suicide attacker shot at her and then blew himself up as she waved to supporters from the sunroof of her armored vehicle outside a campaign rally.

Police said 16 people had been killed in the blast, which occurred during campaigning for a January 8 national election.

Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz Khan told reporters in Islamabad that the army had been called in to control the situation, saying, "no-one would be allowed to create disturbances."

More than 400 inmates in three districts were set free by hundreds of protesters who attacked and set three prisons on fire. In the provincial capital Karachi, however, the situation was calmer Friday after 12 people, including two policemen, were killed in overnight violence in various parts of the port city.

Karachi is also where Bhutto survived a suicide bombing on her return home from exile two months ago that killed more than 140 people.

Most of the countries strongly condemned Bhutto’s assassination including the U.S., Britain, India, Russia, France, Vatican City, UAE, the Arab League and the UN.

U.S. President George W. Bush has strongly condemned the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

In a televised statement from Crawford, Texas, Bush described the assassination as “a cowardly act by murderous extremists who are trying to undermine Pakistan’s democracy.”

Bhutto, who survived an assassination attempt in October, was killed as she left a rally in Rawalpindi.

President Bush offered his condolences to Bhutto’s friends and supporters and the people of Pakistan.

“Those who committed this crime must be brought to justice,” he said.

“We stand with the people of Pakistan in their struggle against the forces of terror and extremism,” he said.

Bush said Bhutto’s assassination should not hold up the elections and urged Pakistan to uphold “the democratic process for which she so bravely gave her life.”

Expressing his shock and outrage at the assassination of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday strongly condemned the “heinous crime” and called for those responsible for the attack to be brought to justice.

The assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto “represents an assault on stability in Pakistan and its democratic process,” Ban said in a statement issued by his office. “While strongly urging calm and restraint to be maintained at this difficult time, I call on all Pakistanis to work together for peace and national unity.”

The secretary-general also conveyed his condolences to Benazir Bhutto’s family and colleagues, as well as to the people of Pakistan.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband rang up Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro and conveyed his condolences to the government, the people of Pakistan and the bereaved family of slain former Premier Benazir Bhutto, said an official statement.

Miliband condemned the act of terrorism in strongest terms in which Ms Bhutto lost her life. He expressed complete support and solidarity of the British government and the people with the government and people of Pakistan in this hour of grief.

Soomro thanked the British Foreign Secretary for his feelings and concern over the tragic incident of violence resulting in the death of a national leader and many other innocent people. He assured him to convey his message of condolences to the Bhutto family.

The prime minister reaffirmed the commitment of the Government of Pakistan to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

He said that Pakistan and its people would remain undeterred to move towards democracy in its true spirit.

The President of the European Union's executive Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, condemned as 'a callous terrorist attack' Thursday's assassination of Pakistani opposition politician Benazir Bhutto.

In a statement released in Brussels, he said the commission 'condemns this callous terrorist attack, perpetrated less than two weeks ahead of election day, in the strongest terms. This is an attack against democracy and against Pakistan.'

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, who knew Bhutto personally, "expressed vivid emotion following the attack," said a statement from his office.

Kouchner strongly condemned "this horrible act" and "reaffirms France's commitment to the stability of Pakistan and its democracy," the statement said.

Russia's Foreign Ministry called Bhutto's death a terror attack.

"We strongly condemn this terrorist act, present our condolences to the family and friends of Benazir Bhutto and hope that Pakistani authorities will provide for national stability," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly expressed concern that the Pakistani government "must do its best to ensure the maximum stability in the election period and prevent terrorist acts against Benazir Bhutto and other political leaders," said the Kamynin statement.

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has condemned the killers of Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto as "cowards afraid of democracy".

It was a "tragic hour" for Pakistan but terrorists must not be allowed to "win there, here or anywhere", he added.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary David Miliband called the apparent suicide bombing a "senseless attack".

The Tories said it was "an appalling act of terrorism" and the Lib Dems a "hammer blow" to democracy in Pakistan.

Italian Premier Romano Prodi said he was filled with grief and called Bhutto "a woman who chose to fight her battle until the end with a single weapon — the one of dialogue and political debate."

"The difficult path toward peace and democracy in that region must not be stopped, and Bhutto's sacrifice will serve as the strongest example for those who do not surrender to terrorism," Prodi said.

The Vatican spokesman, the Reverend Federico Lombardi, said Pope Benedict XVI was immediately informed of the "terrible news."

"One cannot see signs of peace in this tormented region," Lombardi said.

The Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa strongly condemned the gun and suicide terrorist attack that killed the former Pakistani prime minister and current leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Benazir Bhutto. Moussa said that he was shocked and deeply grieved to learn about this horrendous act.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit urged Pakistani politicians to unite against "the forces of extremism and terrorism that want to disturb stability in a way that would have an impact, not only on the future of Pakistan but on that of the entire region."

Jordanian King Abdullah II also condemned the killing of Bhutto. In a message to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, King Abdullah expressed his “strong condemnation to this criminal act.” He affirmed the support of Jordan and Jordanian people to Pakistan to overcome this “ordeal caused by the passing away of a leading politician.”

The UAE Foreign Affairs Minister condemned the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and called on the people of Pakistan to unify ranks in the face of vicious terror.

''The UAE is appalled by this great loss, which is not only a tragic loss for the people of Pakistan but also for the entire UAE people,'' said Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

"I can't find words to express our condemnation for this criminal and cowardly act. The late Benazir Bhutto was a great friend of the UAE and had strong relations with this country", said Abdullah said in a statement.

Tens of thousands of people have attended the funeral of assassinated Pakistani politician Benazir Bhutto.

Mourners converged on the family mausoleum where she was buried next to her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto near their home village in Sindh province.

The coffin, draped in the flag of Ms Bhutto's party, was driven in a white ambulance through the dense crowds.

Pakistan's interior ministry has said it has clear evidence al-Qaeda was behind the assassination.

It quoted intelligence intercepts in a briefing to reporters that followed a reported claim of responsibility by al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.

Violence flared in Pakistan on Friday as angry supporters of assassinated Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto took to the streets a day after she was killed in a suicide attack, witnesses and police said.

Unidentified gunmen shot dead a policeman and wounded three in a Bhutto stronghold in the southern city of Karachi, capital of Bhutto's home province of Sindh, while groups of young men torched vehicles and shops across the province.