126 Dead in Suicide Bombs As Bhutto Returns to Pakistan

Benazir Bhutto's homecoming turned into a bloodbath last night when two suicide bombers struck the vehicle in which she was traveling, killing at least 126 people and wounding another 240.

Ms Bhutto escaped unhurt and was evacuated to her residence in the city. A procession that had attracted several hundred thousand supporters was abandoned in chaos.

The opposition leader had flown into Karachi hours earlier, ending eight years of self-imposed exile in Dubai and London. Two weeks ago, Baitullah Masood, a Taliban commander, vowed to send suicide bombers to kill her.

Pakistan's worst political violence in years is likely to deepen the ongoing political crisis against the backdrop of an alarming surge in Islamist violence.

Local television stations captured the two blasts, which occurred in quick succession near a heavily protected truck carrying Ms Bhutto and her party leaders through the throng.

Television footage showed onlookers running towards the vehicle after the first blast, only to be caught in the second explosion. Party official Qasim Zia said Ms Bhutto had descended into the bus to use the bathroom at the time of the explosion.

TV stations showed graphic images of mutilated bodies lying on a street littered with debris, body parts and lumps of charred flesh. A blazing police vehicle stood beside the deserted Bhutto truck, which was emblazoned with the slogan "Long Live Bhutto".

"People were shouting for help but there was no one to help them out. It smelled like blood and smoke," said Associated Press photographer B K Bangash, who was 50 yards from the truck when he saw the explosion. He said he saw between 50 and 60 bodies at the scene, some ripped apart by the force of the blasts.

The government had mounted a huge security operation to protect Ms Bhutto, who was traveling to the tomb of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah where she planned to give a speech.

About 20,000 security personnel lined the route and sophisticated anti-bomb jamming devices were fitted to her vehicle. Mobile phone signals were blocked in the area and armed bodyguards accompanied her vehicle. The rooftop had been fitted with a bullet-proof enclosure but she spent most of the day standing at the front, chatting to party officials and waving at well wishers.

Many of the dead were thought to be police and party security officials who had formed a moving security cordon around the vehicle. A local television cameraman also died.

At the scene, one distressed man knelt over a motionless body, desperately trying to revive the apparently dead man. Bloodied victims were rushed to local hospitals, some carried in the arms of friends or rescuers. Outside, dozens of people walked around in a daze.

Ms Bhutto's information secretary, Sherry Rehman, and Punjab parliamentarian Abida Hussain, were seen being hoisted away by officials.

Government security officials met in Islamabad last night to discuss further measures to protect Ms Bhutto, who had planned to hold a rally in her home town, Larkana, this weekend.

The Taliban had threatened to kill Ms Bhutto after she suggested that she would help American troops to hunt for Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaida fugitives inside Pakistan.

"She has an agreement with American. We will carry out attacks on Benazir Bhutto as we did on General Pervez Musharraf," Taliban commander Haji Omar said yesterday.

Intelligence reports suggested at least three groups with al-Qaida or Taliban links were plotting suicide attacks, according to an unnamed provincial official quoted by Reuters.

Ms Bhutto returned from exile hoping to win a third term as prime minister at general elections due by mid-January. With encouragement from the US she has been holding power-sharing talks with President Musharraf.

The US government condemned the attack. "Extremists will not be allowed to stop Pakistanis from selecting their representatives through an open and democratic process," said White House security spokesman Gordon Johndroe.

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon was "shocked" by the blast, his office said in a statement. "The secretary general strongly condemns this terrorist attack and expresses condolences to the families of the victims. He trusts that all political forces will act together to strengthen national unity," it said.

There was no immediate comment from President Musharraf but the deputy information minister, Tariq Azim Khan, said Ms Bhutto had disregarded warnings to delay her return. "She was given a friendly advice she should delay her return. Obviously that she did not take it," he said.

Asked what extra measures the government could possibly have taken given the size of the crowd, he said: "There can never be 100% foolproof security, but you can provide extra efforts. We tried to make the maximum effort possible."

The attack will be seen as a wider assault on the political system in Pakistan. Violent extremists have gathered force in Pakistan this year. An eight-day siege of the extremist Red Mosque in Islamabad in July left more than 100 people dead.

After arriving home, Ms Bhutto said she would help the country of 160 million people defeat the extremism that gave it the reputation as a hotbed of international terrorism.

"That's not the real image of Pakistan. The people that you see outside are the real image of Pakistan. These are the decent and hardworking middle-classes and working classes of Pakistan who want to be empowered so they can build a moderate, modern nation," she said.

Now the violence may endanger her power-sharing talks with Gen Musharraf, who has threatened to impose emergency rule or martial law if his plans to retain power are frustrated.

Before returning to Pakistan Ms Bhutto told the Guardian she feared that retired military officials from the country's powerful military establishment were plotting her assassination.

Taliban commanders were "just pawns", she said. "It is those forces behind [them] that have presided over the rise of extremism and militancy in my country."

Hours before yesterday's attack, she reiterated those concerns. "I know who these people are, I know the forces behind them, and I have written to Gen Musharraf about this," she said as she looked out over a sea of supporters.

"They've got some covert support from sympathizers within the system. Without this, they cannot survive."