"In targeting Benazir Bhutto extremist groups have in their sights all those committed to democratic processes in Pakistan. They cannot and must not succeed"

David Miliband,
British foreign secretary

"I am deeply shocked by news of the latest attack in Rawalpindi which has claimed the life of Benazir Bhutto and killed at least 15 other people … All those committed to a stable future for Pakistan will condemn without qualification all violence perpetrated against innocent people.

"In targeting Benazir Bhutto extremist groups have in their sights all those committed to democratic processes in Pakistan. They cannot and must not succeed."

Qin Gang, China's foreign ministry spokesman, said China was "shocked at the killing of Pakistan's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto" and that strongly condemns the terrorist attack," Xinhua news agency said.

Romano Prodi, the Italian prime minister, said : "I express my sadness and that of the whole [Italian] government following the tragic death of Benazir Bhutto, a woman who wanted to fight her battle until the end with just one weapon - that of dialogue and political discussion."

The Vatican called the assassination "terrible and tragic."

"This attack shows how extremely difficult it is to pacify a nation so wrought by violence," Father Frederico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman said. "We share the sadness of the Pakistani population."

Analysts' comment

Ameen Jan, a London-based political analyst, told Al Jazeera: "Removing Benazir Bhutto from the political scene, there would be many beneficiaries of that … Having said that it would be difficult to imagine that the perpetrators behind such a violent attack, leading to her death, would be one of the political parties."

"There are a whole set of actors outside of the mainstream political parties which are the various extremist groups, and it would seem more than likely that there would be some elements within those groups that would have an interest in destabilising the political system," he said.

"It's a great shock for the nation and its a great set back to the democratic forces and to politics in Pakistan"

General Talat Masood,
military analyst

General Talat Masood, a military analyst in Islamabad, speaking to Al Jazeera, said: "It's a great shock for the nation and its a great set back to the democratic forces and to politics in Pakistan. Her party [the PPP] was one of those that was spearheading the political process … and this party was very leader-centric. They really adored and loved her despite all her weaknesses … neither the militants nor those in power ever like a person of her calibre."

"You could see the crowds she was drawing and the likelihood of her party doing extremely well, that was there. But it also shows that when the US intervenes it always has a negative fallout on countries."

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