In Bhuttos death subcontinent has lost outstanding leader: Manmohan

Expressing shock over the assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today said that the subcontinent has lost an outstanding leader, who stood for peace in the region.

Panaji/New Delhi, Dec 28 : Expressing shock over the assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today said that the subcontinent has lost an "outstanding" leader, who stood for peace in the region.

"Benazir Bhutto was no ordinary political leader. She left a deep impression on her times and on the age that she lived through," Dr. Singh said.

"In her death, the subcontinent has lost an outstanding personality and we know that in recent years, Benazir Bhutto was an outstanding champion of reconciliation," he said adding that "She, on more than one occasion, gave expression to her feelings that relations between our two countries should be normalised and that we should work together to make South-Asia, a prosperous region afterwards."

Congress party President Sonia Gandhi and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee visited the Pakistan Embassy in New Delhi to offer condolences and signed the condolence register.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani reacting to the violence in Pakistan following Bhutto's assassination called for a day-long shutdown in the Valley.

Commenting on the situation in Pakistan, Geelani in New Delhi said that the "military rule" in that country has brought about a scenario where in the army that should be protecting the people is against the common man.

"Whatever is happening in Pakistan is extremely condemnable. The military rule is responsible for the situation out there to a great extent," Geelani said, adding that "The military leaders have placed the common man and the army against each other- the situation is an outcome of the same."

"These people (military leaders) are dancing to the tune of America and creating these circumstances where the military is against the people," said Geelani.

The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairperson, Bhutto, 54, was assassinated on Thursday evening during a party rally in Rawalpindi's Liaquat Bagh area.

ANI