On October 18 2007, two explosions erupt shortly after Benazir Bhutto landed at the Jinnah International Airport, as she was headed to Karachi. Suicide bombers unsuccessfully made an attempt on Bhutto's life.
Bhutto, a Pakistani politician who became the first woman to lead a post-colonial Muslim state, went unharmed. 136 others were killed and 450 were injured, including 50 of her security detail from the Pakistan Peoples Party or PPP. Bhutto later claimed that she had warned the Pakistani government that suicide bomb squads would target her upon her return to Pakistan, and that the government had failed to act.
Bhutto was careful not to blame General Pervez Musharraf, who became de facto Head of Government after a bloodless coup d'etat of Nawaz Sharif in 1999. She instead claimed the attempt was made by "certain individuals, within the government, who abuse their positions and powers" to advance the cause of Islamic Militants. Aides close to Bhutto claim that it was Ijaz Shah, the director general of the Intelligence Bureau, one of the country's intelligence agencies and a close associate of General Musharraf.
So who tried to kill Benazir Bhutto? We first need to understand the history of the Bhutto reign, Democracy, Islamic militants and the allegations of corruption which landed Benazir Bhutto in self imposed exile and her husband in prison. Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir's father, was hanged in 1979 after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder.
In 1977, Ahmed Raza Kasuri accused then Prime Minister Zulfikar Bhutto of organizing an attempted assassination against his father who was killed in 1975. Zulfikar was found guilty and hanged, oddly enough, one of the judges, Justice Nasim Hassan Shah, ruling in favor of the death sentence, later regretted his decision on TV, and admitted that it was given under pressure. Pressure from who?
After completing her studies abroad at schools such as Oxford and Harvard, Benazir returned to Pakistan under house arrest because of the crime her father was accused of and hanged for. She was allowed to return to the UK in 1984, there she became a leader in exile of the Pakistan Peoples Party, even though she was not allowed to make her political presence felt in Pakistan until after the death of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistan's military leader who came to power after he overthrew ruling Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in a bloodless military coup d'etat in 1977.
When Benazir was elected Prime Minister in 1988,
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Bombing in Pakistan: Who tried to kill Benazir Bhutto?
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