By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Karachi : At least 165 people were killed and over 500 injured, many critically, in Pakistan’s worst terror attack as two powerful bombs went off just after midnight here Thursday, turning a massive joyous welcome rally for former prime minister Benazir Bhutto into a horrific nightmare.
Hundreds of thousands of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) supporters were singing and dancing on the main streets of Karachi, leading Bhutto, 54, to the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah when the deafening explosions took place within 30 seconds of each other.
Eyewitnesses said Bhutto miraculously escaped injuries and possible death because she had only moments earlier got into her slow-moving armoured plated truck, which was part of a winding convoy of cars, vans and motorcycles of cheering PPP activists.
Until then she was on its open roof, waving to her supporters. The deafening blasts — quickly blamed on Al Qaeda — took place close by. Bhutto was rushed to safety, from where she appealed for calm.
“The first explosion was like an electric generator going off,” said Jalal Salahuddin, one eyewitness. “It was very loud. Then came the second explosion, and it was bigger. And then we knew they were bombs.”
The blasts fuelled a huge ball of fire and tore apart several victims. Human limbs were scattered on the road. A horrified policeman pointed to a severed male head. PPP supporters fled from the scene as terror took over.
Large numbers, including many police commandos who had thrown a ring around Bhutto, were killed instantly. Many people collapsed on the ground bleeding. Some writhed in pain, their bodies blackened by explosives, until they were taken away.
Within moments, PPP workers and local officials took charge. Dozens of ambulances, their sirens wailing, rushed the dead and injured to hospitals all over Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest city.
Karachi officials said at least 165 were dead and over 500 injured. Many of the injured were in critical condition and it was feared that they would die. The dead included around 20 policemen.
About 200 people with minor injuries were discharged after first aid.
Bhutto, who has twice been Pakistan’s prime minister, had only hours earlier flown into Pakistan from Dubai after eight years of self-exile to fight general elections that may catapult her to power for a record third time.
Amid allegations of Al Qaeda involvement, India joined the world in denouncing the terror attacks. An Indian external affairs ministry official said the bombings were “reprehensible”. Indian opposition leader L.K. Advani said he was “aghast” over the terror strike and relieved that Bhutto was safe.
Bhutto’s husband Asif Ali Zardari blamed the government for the carnage and demanded to know why Islamic radicals — if they indeed were guilty — had chosen to target a politician out of power.
Bhutto, who had expressed fears about her safety before flying out of Dubai, sought the resignation of the head of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), the country’s premier spy agency.
Even as PPP general secretary for tribal areas Mirza Jihadi alleged that the explosions were the work of the Al Qaeda or the Taliban, PPP supporters accused the government of not providing enough security for their leader.
Karachi police chief Azhar Farooqi denied this, saying the authorities had armour-plated Bhutto’s truck and provided electronic jamming equipment. He added that it was because of the deployment of a large number of policemen that Bhutto survived the terror strike.
President Pervez Musharraf, eager to see the return of Bhutto, called the bombings a “conspiracy” against democracy. Ishrat ul Ebad Khan, the governor of Sindh province whose capital is Karachi, said: “It is a very tragic incident. It has terrorised the whole city.”
PPP leader Yousaf Raza Gillani said Bhutto was in shock. But he added: “She is an iron lady and such incidents cannot block her way. Definitely she is shocked, she is sad over the loss of lives.”
Javed Iqbal Cheema, a spokesman for the interior ministry, said Bhutto has been asked to remain inside her residence until her safety is ensured. He said that more than 5,000 security officials were deployed for Bhutto but “it’s always very hard to block the suicide bombers”.
The daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir became one of the first democratically elected female prime ministers in an Islamic country in 1988. Her regime collapsed in 1990.
She again became prime minister in 1993 and ruled for three years. On both occasions, her governance was accompanied by charges of corruption against her and her husband Asif Zardari.
Bhutto left Pakistan in 1999 to live abroad shortly after her conviction by the Supreme Court.