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| Bhutto convoy bombs kill dozens | Bhutto convoy bombs kill dozens |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| At least 125 people have been killed including police and 100 wounded after two bombs hit crowds greeting returning Pakistani ex-PM Benazir Bhutto. | |
| Ms Bhutto was being driven in a convoy through crowded streets from Karachi airport to a rally to mark her homecoming after eight years in exile. | Ms Bhutto was being driven in a convoy through crowded streets from Karachi airport to a rally to mark her homecoming after eight years in exile. |
| Ms Bhutto was not among the casualties and has been driven to safety. | Ms Bhutto was not among the casualties and has been driven to safety. |
| Hundreds of thousands of people had turned out to greet the former PM, amid a huge security presence. | Hundreds of thousands of people had turned out to greet the former PM, amid a huge security presence. |
| Several Islamist groups including pro-Taleban militants have made threats against Ms Bhutto. | Several Islamist groups including pro-Taleban militants have made threats against Ms Bhutto. |
| There was blood all around and it was chaos - we didn't know where to go, what to do Farzana RajaPPP spokeswoman class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7049917.stm">Flying into uncertainty | |
| Police have cordoned off the scene of the blasts. | Police have cordoned off the scene of the blasts. |
| The area around a stage where she was due to give a speech to supporters has been evacuated. | The area around a stage where she was due to give a speech to supporters has been evacuated. |
| Police say the bombings may have been suicide attacks. | Police say the bombings may have been suicide attacks. |
| The US White House condemned the blasts. | |
| "Extremists will not be allowed to stop Pakistanis from selecting their representatives through an open and democratic process," said spokesman Gordon Johndroe. | "Extremists will not be allowed to stop Pakistanis from selecting their representatives through an open and democratic process," said spokesman Gordon Johndroe. |
| Rushed away | Rushed away |
| The first explosion was relatively small but was followed by a much larger blast close to the front of Ms Bhutto's truck, which broke its windows and door. | The first explosion was relatively small but was followed by a much larger blast close to the front of Ms Bhutto's truck, which broke its windows and door. |
| KEY DATES 06 Oct: Presidential polls held 17 Oct: Supreme Court resumes hearing challenges to Musharraf candidacy 18 Oct: Benazir Bhutto's homecoming 15 Nov: Parliamentary term ends and general election must be held by mid-January On board Bhutto's flight class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7051666.stm">Crowds greet homecoming | |
| "There was blood all around and it was chaos - and we couldn't understand what was happening all around - we didn't know where to go, what to do," said Farzana Raja, a spokeswoman for the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). | "There was blood all around and it was chaos - and we couldn't understand what was happening all around - we didn't know where to go, what to do," said Farzana Raja, a spokeswoman for the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). |
| It is thought the bomber was on foot, as police had almost completely surrounded the truck. | It is thought the bomber was on foot, as police had almost completely surrounded the truck. |
| Police vehicles took the main force of the blasts and at least eight police were killed. | Police vehicles took the main force of the blasts and at least eight police were killed. |
| Most of the dead were members of the PPP. One cameraman for a local TV station was also killed. | Most of the dead were members of the PPP. One cameraman for a local TV station was also killed. |
| Correspondents say Ms Bhutto may have been shielded from the blast by an overhang because she was sitting on top of the truck at the time. | Correspondents say Ms Bhutto may have been shielded from the blast by an overhang because she was sitting on top of the truck at the time. |
| The former prime minister was immediately rushed from the scene to her Karachi residency, according to contingency plans. | The former prime minister was immediately rushed from the scene to her Karachi residency, according to contingency plans. |
| Power-sharing deal | Power-sharing deal |
| Ms Bhutto flew in from Dubai earlier on Thursday, accompanied on the flight by about 100 PPP members. | Ms Bhutto flew in from Dubai earlier on Thursday, accompanied on the flight by about 100 PPP members. |
| At least 200,000 people turned out to greet her in what correspondents described as a carnival atmosphere, but the crowds slowed the progress of her convoy. | At least 200,000 people turned out to greet her in what correspondents described as a carnival atmosphere, but the crowds slowed the progress of her convoy. |
| Ms Bhutto had been planning to make a speech at the tomb of Pakistan's founding father, Mohammed Ali Jinnah. | Ms Bhutto had been planning to make a speech at the tomb of Pakistan's founding father, Mohammed Ali Jinnah. |
| The BBC's Damian Grammaticas in Karachi says that despite being away for eight years, Ms Bhutto is still enormously popular as a scion of Pakistan's pre-eminent political dynasty. | The BBC's Damian Grammaticas in Karachi says that despite being away for eight years, Ms Bhutto is still enormously popular as a scion of Pakistan's pre-eminent political dynasty. |
| Ms Bhutto left the country soon after Gen Musharraf seized power in a coup, but returned under a power-sharing deal with the president which could see her becoming prime minister again. | Ms Bhutto left the country soon after Gen Musharraf seized power in a coup, but returned under a power-sharing deal with the president which could see her becoming prime minister again. |
| The US has backed the deal, amid concerns about the military's inability to defeat Islamist militants and Gen Musharraf's rising unpopularity. | The US has backed the deal, amid concerns about the military's inability to defeat Islamist militants and Gen Musharraf's rising unpopularity. |
| Are you in the area? Have you been affected? You can send us your experiences using the form below: | Are you in the area? Have you been affected? You can send us your experiences using the form below: |