KABUL, Dec 28: President Hamid Karzai ordered on Friday that Afghanistan’s flag be flown at half-mast at home and abroad for 24 hours in sympathy for the assassination of Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.

The national flag would be lowered from 8:30am on Saturday “as a mark of respect for the martyrdom of Ms Benazir Bhutto... and sympathy with the people of Pakistan,” a statement from Karzai’s office said.

“The tragic death of Ms Bhutto is an immense loss for Pakistan and the Muslim world,” Karzai said in the statement. “She sacrificed her life for the sake of democracy and the well-being of Pakistan.” Karzai met Ms Bhutto just hours before she was killed on Thursday in a suicide attack that left about 20 other people dead.

He said late Thursday that her killing was an act of “immense brutality” by enemies of Pakistan who were afraid of her strength.—AFP