Benazir Bhutto, the first woman Prime Minister of Pakistan and the most significant person needed in restoring Pakistan to democracy has been killed by a “terrorist”.

Early reports stated that was shot in the neck after a political rally in Rawalpindi. The suicide bomber then blew himself up killing another 16 of her supporters. This will be a very dark day in Pakistan’s history.

We keep being told that there are three phases to Musharraf’s rule:

• Firstly as a Military dictator by overthrowing a democratically elected prime minister
• Secondly as Military President
• Thirdly as Civilian President but only after trampling on Pakistan’s constitution and eliminating all opposition especially the judiciary and changing the constitution to ensure that no elected parliament could challenge his rule

Nothing in these acts suggests Musharraf is interested in taking Pakistan back onto the road to democracy but merely entrenching himself as leader.

Benazir Bhutto was a popular and moderate leader of a well organised political party and was the favourite to win any elections.

Who would benefit most from murdering her? Which “extremist terrorists” carried out this heinous act? She blamed people close to Musharraf for the previous “terrorist” bomb blast which killed 130 of her supporters, on her return to Pakistan. She passed on her findings to President Musharraf, who took no action whatsoever

President Bush said “Those who committed this crime must be brought to justice”. Pakistanis want democracy but they won’t be given the chance to decide. That lies in the hands of the West. Its blind “War on/of Terror” will dictate what form of democracy will be permitted in Pakistan and when.

Are we heading for martial law to curb the terrorists? So far, according to Benazir Bhutto’s party, Musharraf has been “arresting civil rights workers not suspected terrorists.”