By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS
London : European leaders strongly condemned the assassination of former Pakistan Premier Benazir Bhutto Thursday, saying the cowardly act of terrorism must not be allowed to derail the democratic process in Pakistan.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown led the European tribute to Bhutto saying she was a “woman of immense personal courage” who had returned to Pakistan for the sake of democracy in the full knowledge of the threat to her security.
“She risked everything in her attempt to win democracy for Pakistan,” said Brown who was also thought to have telephone President Pervez Musharraf.
While Benazir Bhutto may have been killed by the “cowardly act of terrorism”, Brown said terrorists “must not be allowed to kill democracy in Pakistan.”
Calling it a “sad day for democracy and a tragic hour for Pakistan,” Brown echoed wider European sentiments by saying Britain will continue to work globally for a peaceful, safe and democratic Pakistan.
Meanwhile, members of the large Pakistani community in Britain – many of whom are supporters of Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan Peoples Party – were said to be in a state of shock.
“This was too sudden. No one has recovered yet. How could this happen in Rawalpindi of all places which is a garrison town and the intelligence service base?” a member of the community told IANS a few hours after the killing.
In Paris, French President Nicolas Sarkozy condemned what he called “this odious act”, adding: “More than ever it is necessary for the [Pakistani] legislative elections to… take place in conditions of pluralism, transparency and security.”
In Moscow, Russian foreign ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said Russia hoped “Pakistani authorities will provide for national stability” in the run up to general elections scheduled for Jan. 8 next year.
He said Moscow had 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.”
The role of the British government has been key in moves to restore democracy in Pakistan, working behind the scenes to facilitate Bhutto’s return to her homeland after eight years in self-imposed exile.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Bhutto met in London in September where they discussed the dangers to her life.
Informed commentators in London said whoever assassinated Bhutto wanted to stop the elections and that the role of the army would be crucial in the coming weeks. Diplomatic commentators also said the army’s voice will be crucial in whether Musharraf decides to go ahead with the elections, or postpone it fearing social and political unrest.
The army, these commentators said, has been hesitant to take hard decisions of late.
In many ways, London had long been a second home to Benazir Bhutto.
Not only did she study at Oxford university, but also made Britain – and particularly London – her intermittent home through her years in politics. After her father Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was hanged Benazir chose London to make her home, living in a small flat in Barbican, central London, with her sister Sanam.
One of her three sons is studying at Oxford.
In every way, it was in Britain that Benazir was tutored in the basics of democracy – a luxury she could not afford in her natural home.
In later years, although she made Dubai in the United Arab Emirates her political office in exile, she continued to frequently visit London and hold discussions with the British government.
Opposition tory leader David Cameron condemned the “appalling act of terrorism,” saying it had “put at risk hopes for the country’s return to democracy.”