December 28, 2007	Friday	Zilhaj 17, 1428

LONDON, Dec 27: World leaders on Thursday voiced shock over the assassination of PPP leader Benazir Bhutto and called for restraint.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said that in targeting Ms Bhutto, extremist groups had in their sights all those committed to democratic processes in Pakistan. “They cannot and must not succeed,” he said in a statement.

“This is a time not only restraint but also for unity.”

Mr Miliband said the Pakistani opposition leader knew the risks of returning to her homeland from exile earlier this year but “was convinced that her country needed her”. He also pledged in a statement that Britain would continue to support democracy in Pakistan.

“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,” Miliband said.

BEIJING: Expressing shock, China says it “strongly condemns” the attack, state media reported.

Foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said China “is shocked at the killing of Pakistan’s opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and strongly condemns the terrorist attack,” Xinhua news agency said.

“We also extend condolences to the families of Ms Bhutto and other victims,” Qin said.

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the assassination of Benazir Bhutto as a “barbarous act of terrorism”, Russian news agencies reported. “I hope the organisers of the crime will be found and that they get the punishment they deserve,” said Mr Putin.

Anatoly Safonov, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said the assassination was “extremely worrying” and could destabilise Pakistan.

“It’s clear that a powerful factor has been added to an already not very calm situation in Pakistan, which could radically change the situation in the country,” Safonov said.

ANKARA: Turkey urged Islamabad not to stray from the path of democracy. The killing “undoubtedly aims to draw Pakistan into chaos and instability,” a foreign ministry statement said.

“We believe the people of Pakistan will act with common sense and will not allow acts of terrorism ... to destroy the democratisation process in the country,” it added.

The statement called on Pakistan’s political leaders to “unite forces against terrorism and extremism” and pledged Ankara’s contribution to efforts to establish peace and stability. Turkish President Abdullah Gul called for the international community to assist Pakistan in this ‘critical’ time, the Anatolia news agency reported.

TEHRAN: Iran urged the authorities to track down the ‘terrorists’ responsible for killing the former prime minister.

“The criminal action today in Rawalpindi is strongly condemned,” said foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini, according to the website of state television.

“The Pakistan government should use all efforts to identify the terrorist group which caused this incident and punish them to prevent terrorist groups from finding opportunities to undertake such actions again,” he added.

UNITED NATIONS: UN chief Ban Ki-moon slammed the killing of Ms Bhutto as a ‘heinous crime’ shortly before the Security Council was to meet in emergency session.

“I strongly condemn this heinous crime and call for the perpetrators to be brought to justice as soon as possible,” the secretary general said in a statement.

Saying he was “shocked and outraged” by Bhutto’s killing, Ban added that “this represents an assault on stability in Pakistan and its democratic processes”.

CAIRO: The Arab League condemned the assassination as a “heinous terrorist crime”, the official MENA news agency reported.

Amr Mussa, secretary general of the 22-member pan-Arab body, condemned the killing and “offered heartfelt condolences to the Pakistani people over the tragic development”. He also expressed shock and anger at such a “heinous terrorist crime”, it added.

JEDDAH: The Organisation of Islamic Conference said that killing of Ms Bhutto was an attack on the stability of Pakistan.

OIC secretary-general Ekmeleddin Ihsanogulu “condemned in the strongest terms the outrageous and brutal murder,” a statement said.

He said the killing was “an attack on stability and peace in Pakistan and an open provocation aiming at derailing the efforts of unity, reconciliation and democratic process.”

BRUSSELS: The European Union described the assassination as “an attack against democracy and against Pakistan” and urged people to refrain from violence.

EU president Portugal said in a statement that the 27-member bloc “condemns extremism in all its forms and expresses its wish that this tragic event does not undermine the on-going democratic process in Pakistan”.

PARIS: France described the assassination as an ‘odious act’.

A statement said that Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner “expresses his deep emotion following the attack”. He presents his condolences to Ms Bhutto’s family, to the victims of this attack and to the Pakistani people. He strongly condemns this odious act. He salutes the memory of Mrs Bhutto, an eminent figure in Pakistani politics,” the statement said.

VATICAN CITY: The Vatican said the assassination of former Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was “terrible and tragic,” ANSA reported.

“This attack shows how extremely difficult it is to pacify a nation so wrought by violence,” Vatican spokesman Father Frederico Lombardi said, adding that the killing made “peace more distant”.

TOKYO: Japan called the attack “absolutely unacceptable”. “Japan condemns the attack,” Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said. “It is absolutely unacceptable to try to solve something by the means of violence.

The Philippines, Spain, Israel, Germay and Italy also condemned the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.—Agencies