Benazir Bhutto assassinated in Rawalpindi

Former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on Thursday during a suicide attack on a party rally in Rawalpindis Liaquat Bagh area.

Rawalpindi, Dec 27 : Former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on Thursday during a suicide attack on a party rally in Rawalpindi's Liaquat Bagh area.

Initial reports said that Bhutto died while being taken to a hospital. At least 20 PPP activists were also killed in the suicide attack.

The reports also said that a procession led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was attacked.

According to initial reports, at least four Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers were killed at Rawalpindi's Karal Chowk.

The News quoted Assistant Superintendent of Police (Sihala), Shoaib Janbaz, as saying that Sharif procession was immediately shifted to a different route after the attack.

Commandos were called in to re-enforce the police forces controlling what was a very tense situation. Two vehicles of former Punjab provincial assembly member, Chaudhry Tanvir, were badly damaged by the firing.

The body of one of the dead was shifted to the PIMS Hospital, while those injured were taken to the General Hospital, Rawalpindi.

Sharif condemned the firing on his party rally.

ANI