BY DR.A.RAZAK SHAIKH,
It was 17th October 2007 when Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto landed Karachi Airport and received by the very huge crowd. The streets of Karachi ground to a halt to welcome the return of Benazir Bhutto, after an eight-year self-imposed exile during which she lived in Dubai and London. Two explosions occurred in front of the rally truck from which she greeted her supporters and party members at approximately 00:52 PST, on the route about halfway from the airport to SHAHR E QUAIDEEN for a scheduled rally, just after Bhutto’s truck had crossed a bridge of KARSAZ.
Police vehicles bore the brunt of the blasts, which completely destroyed three police vans and killed at least 20 policemen in the vehicles, Benazir Bhutto, who was not injured in the attack, was either sitting on top of the truck or had just climbed into the compartment of the truck at the time of the explosion.
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was escorted to her residence, Bilawal House. The victims were rushed to Jinnah Hospital, Liaquat National Hospital, Civil Hospital, and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
In a press conference on 19 October 2007, Bhutto claimed that her security team were unable to prevent the attack because of the streetlights being turned off, and called for an inquiry into why this happened.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was the target of a bombing which killed at least 150 people at midnight, hours after landing at Karachi Airport.
Bhutto’s arrival in the country with more than 100 supporters, breaking eight years of self-imposed exile, was met by more than 20,000 police. Security was tight, after a warning that militants could attempt to assassinate the former leader.
Benazir Bhutto is disliked by many traditionalist Pakistanis who consider her rule to have brought the country too close to the United States. Bhutto had told reporters she was not scared and was concentrating on her mission, only hours before the attack.
Benazir Bhutto, who was traveling from the airport to a rally atop on truck, was unharmed and taken back to her ancestral home of Bilawal House by police and security forces.
Sources indicate there may have been multiple explosions, with a smaller blast preceding the main one. Two men were taken into custody following the attacks, one carrying a belt of explosives and another carrying a pistol.
The attack, which injured near 450 people, was believed to be a suicide bombing, Karachi police officer, reported that a skull believed to belong to one of the bombers had been found, and taken to a forensics lab.
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto told reporters that she did not want the country associated with the training of terrorists.
Now 11 years have passed but still, an investigation of 18th October 2007 case is not properly done or declared. Benazir Bhutto was the real brave daughter of East and Nation love her sacrifice, she again targeted on 27th December 2007 at Rawalpindi. Mohtarma is no more with us but her struggle for the poor country will never forget. She was the brave daughter of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and both love Pakistan.
Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali and Benazir Bhutto are still playing politics from the grave of Ghari Khuda Bux and more than 30 unidentified workers of PPP 18th October Victim are also buried in the same graveyard near to their Quaids. We Salute our Shaheed of 18th October 2007 and pray for their soul.