Reuters: At least 100 dead in Pakistan blasts 19 October

Benazir Bhutto was prime minister of Pakistan twice and became the first female leader of a Muslim nation in 1988, following the mysterious death of military dictator Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq.

Ending eight years of self exile, Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan with hopes of ending the military regime, and to steer the country towards democracy.

Officials claim Benazir Bhutto died after hitting her head on the sun roof of her car. But her party has accused the government of trying to cover up failures to protect her so close to planned elections. Al Qaeda linked militants have denied being behind the killing of the 54 year old former prime minister. Pakistan's government had said it had proof of their involvement. Violence has spread across the country while doubt has been thrown on whether January's planned election can now go ahead.

Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a suicide attack on Thursday, just two months after the former premier returned from exile for a political comeback. Bhutto, a two-time former prime minister, had just addressed a campaign rally for next month's parliamentary elections when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the venue, killing her and at least 10 other people. Images of the event courtesy of Geo TV.

Bhutto has urged the Pakistani government to seek foreign assistance in the investigation into last week's bombings.

While not directly putting the blame on anyone, Bhutto said she believed her security guards would have been able to spot the suicide bomber had the lights been on. At least 133 people died in a suicide bomb attack in Karachi on Thursday (October 18) night as Bhutto was driving through the streets to greet supporters.

Bhutto's death has plunged the nuclear-armed country into one of the worst crises in its 60-year history. It has also stoked fears that a January 8 election meant to return Pakistan to civilian rule could be put off, although caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro has said there is no change in timing for now.

Security was tight for the visit, Bhutto's first outside Karachi since a suicide attack marred her return to Pakistan after eight years of self-imposed exile.

The attack on her motorcade in Karachi killed more than 130 people in one of the deadliest bombings in Pakistan's political history. The former PM ended her self-imposed eight-year-exile on Thursday (Oct. 18) to lead her Pakistan People's Party into parliamentary elections in January. In her first public comments since the failed assassination bid, which is being blamed on Islamist militants, Bhutto said the bombings were an attack on democracy.