SUICIDE ATTACK IN LAHORE

Long Live Pakistan
January 10, 2008
Lahore under attack - Suicide Bombing Kills 24, Wounds 70



A suicide bomber blew himself up among police deployed outside a court in eastern Pakistan on Thursday, killing at least 24 people and wounding more than 70, officials and witnesses said.

The blast in front of Lahore High Court was the latest in a wave of attacks targeting politicians and security forces ahead of Feb. 18 parliamentary elections. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but suspicion will likely fall on militants linked to Taliban and al-Qaida.

It came as Scotland Yard investigators visited forensic laboratories elsewhere in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, to examine evidence in the assassination two weeks ago of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi, a city to the north.

“There were about 60 to 70 policemen on duty when a man rammed into our ranks and soon there was a huge explosion,” said police officer Syed Imtiaz Hussain, who suffered wounds to his legs and groin. “I saw the bodies of other policemen burning. It was like hell.”

The explosion left wounded lying in pools of blood, crying for help. TV news video showed at least four mangled bodies on the ground near a destroyed motorbike and a piece of smoking debris. Ambulance workers loaded victims onto stretchers as sirens wailed.

The blast sent shrapnel flying as far as 100 yards away. It also shattered windows in the courthouse and set off volleys of tear gas shells carried by the police, preventing rescuers from getting close to the victims in the seconds after the attack, witnesses said.

Chief of police operations Aftab Cheema said the bomber had run up to a barrier manned by police and blew himself up. He said 21 policemen and three civilians were killed. More than 70 others were wounded, including civilian passers-by, officials said.

An Associated Press photographer saw the severed head of a man with long hair and beard. Bomb disposal experts estimated that up to 30 pounds of explosives were used.

The police had been deployed in front of the court ahead of a weekly lawyers’ protest of President Pervez Musharraf’s firing of Supreme Court judges in November. The rally had been due to start about 15 minutes before the bomb went off. About 200 lawyers were inside the High Court at the time of the blast, and others were marching from a nearby district court.

“I have not heard such a big explosion in my life. We felt as if our eardrums were about to burst,” said Abdul Hameed, a lawyer’s assistant who was inside the court when the bomber struck.

Police cordoned off the area and appealed to bystanders to rush to hospitals to donate blood instead of crowding the scene and hindering emergency services.

Ijaz Nisar, chief minister of Punjab, said paramilitary ranger troops have been deployed at strategic points in Lahore and the army was on standby.

Musharraf condemned the attack and reiterated his resolve “to continue the fight against terrorism and extremism and not to be deterred by such acts,” the state Associated Press of Pakistan news agency reported.

The government of Musharraf, a key ally in the U.S.-led war on terrorism, has blamed two Taliban commanders linked to al-Qaida for a wave of about 20 suicide attacks that have killed about 400 people in the past three months, many targeting security forces.

On Dec. 27, Bhutto and about 20 others were killed in a gun and suicide bomb attack after she addressed an election campaign rally.

The murder of the two-time prime minister sparked days of rioting that left dozens more dead and forced a six-week postponement of the elections, which are meant to bring a new era of democracy after eight years of military rule under Musharraf.

Her party has accused elements of the ruling pro-Musharraf party of plotting to kill Bhutto, which the government vehemently denies.

On Thursday, her Pakistan People’s Party said it had written to the government urging it to request an independent U.N. inquiry. It warned that if the government failed to do so with 48 hours, the party would approach the world body directly.

Thursday’s attack came ahead Islamic month of Muharram, which is often marred by bombings and fighting between Pakistan’s Sunni Muslims and its Shiite minority. Authorities have already boosted security at holy sites across the country.


Comments (3)
January 9, 2008
Inside the student life of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
Filed under: Future of Pakistan — admin @ 8:35 am
Free alcohol, hangovers, bisexual friends and a girl called Boozie Suzie … inside the student life of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
By GLEN OWEN - More by this author » Last updated at 16:06pm on 6th January 2008

His antics at Oxford University would shock people in Pakistan awaiting Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s return to take over the political dream shaped by his murdered mother Benazir.

The 19-year-old’s preparation for his role in one of the world’s strictest Muslim states has certainly been unconventional.

Orthodox Muslims will be surprised to see the new leader of the Pakistani People’s Party with his arms slung casually around two girls, one of whom declares herself as “bisexual” on a social networking website.

Conversations he has with friends on Facebook make reference to being hungover, his friendship with a girl he calls “Boozie Suzie” and the joys of “free alcohol”.

Scroll down for more …



Monster’s ball: Bilawal and friends in fancy dress for an Oxford University Hallowe’en event
There is no evidence that Bilawal drinks alcohol – but he was certainly living it up with his two female friends at a raucous black-tie party thrown by a student drinking society.

Bilawal had been enjoying the freedom of his first year at Oxford before he was named as his mother’s successor after her assassination last month.

It was all a far cry from the country of his birth, which is bound by strict Muslim customs where drinking is forbidden, homosexuality is illegal and male and female friendships carefully controlled.

Bilawal and the girls were dressed up for the annual Cardinals’ Cocktails event where, for a £10 entrance fee, students can drink as many cocktails as they can stomach.

The Cardinals is an exclusive all-male society favoured by the wealthiest undergraduates at Christ Church, Bilawal’s college at Oxford.

They hold the event for non-members once a year to raise money for a lavish dinner to be enjoyed by their privileged members at a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Only a handful of Christ Church students are allowed to join each year and they are initiated by being forced to down a bottle of port followed by eight pints of beer.

Bilawal and his friends were among hundreds of other students – not Cardinal members – at the bash this year.

Fortunately for him, his father, Asif Ali Zardari, has announced his son is too young to take power and that he will maintain day-to-day control of the party while Bilawal continues his studies.

Bilawal, who arrived at Christ Church in September to read history, grew up in Dubai after his mother left Pakistan for a self-imposed exile in 1999.

At Oxford he has not been seen at the student Islamist Society, eschewing the social events, at which only soft drinks are served.

One senior society member said: ‘He doesn’t come to any of our events.’ He has chosen instead to spend his time with gregarious new friends.

Two of the girls to whom he is particularly close, as our pictures show, are described on Facebook as being “engaged” to each other – Julia Caterina Hartley and Kirini Kopcke.

Scroll down for more …



Ladies’ man: Bilawal cosies up to bisexual friends Kirini Kopcke (left) and Julia Hartley, who say they are ‘engaged’
Julia, who was educated in Brussels, lists herself as interested in both women and men and is a member of the university’s Lesbian Gay And Bisexual Society.

She and Bilawal are obviously close, often pictured cosying up together, and after Benazir Bhutto’s assassination on December 27 she wrote on her Facebook site: “Julia can only think of the Bhuttos.” Many of Bilawal’s conversations on Facebook can be openly viewed by dozens of his friends and countless other Oxford University students.

Bilawal flirts goodnaturedly with another female student, saying: “There is a void in my life now, it’s a deep dark hole in my sloe [sic] … that can only be filled with … boozie suzie!!”

Fellow first-year student Sammy Jay is also a close friend.

In one exchange, Bilawal announces his intention to “do as much work as possible, go to the Coven, turn up to my tute the next day hungover and with incomplete work.”

The Coven is an off-beat club well known for hosting a regular gay night for students.

The face of Bilawal appears on a number of pages throughout Facebook but only one, using the alias of Bilawal Lawalib, is authentic.

In one exchange, before Mrs Bhutto’s assasination, he tells a female friend that he “misses his secret lover” and in another exclaims “what free alcohol! I may take you up on that when I get back to Oxford!”.

Bilawal’s grandfather Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who founded the Pakistan People’s Party and was the country’s first elected prime minister but was executed in 1979, attended the same college.

His mother was a popular student and president of the Oxford Union.

The current Oxford Union President, Luke Tryl, says the new Bhutto is “quite popular in Union circles; very charismatic and engaging”.




Comments

There is conspiracy against Pakistan to strip Pakistan of its nuclear arsenal. They know it they can not defeat Pakistan militarily but they could destabilize Pakistan internally.
This is the face of Pakistan we need to show.

Pakistan is filled with talented and smart people but they don’t go in politics. Majority of Political leaders belongs to incredibly rich and wealthy corporate business families, their objective is to enhance and increase their wealth by plundering Pakistan. They pay Government official to increase their wealth, They pay media to write news in their favor. they could do it because they have means to do it. Neither PPP or nawaz tried to protect property and lives of people of Pakistan rather they contributed to its destruction.








I am sorry I was not able to find many civilized Images from Pakistani protests.

Its not about Mushraf , Bhutto or Sharif any more. All these people will come and go in past we had complains and at present we have complains for the rulers of Pakistan. So its not about these rulers Its us the people of Pakistan. We must win our our leaders. We need to show the world we carry nukes and we can act like civilized nation. We will protest but not like terrorists or like uncivilized nation. We will stand together day and night to protest but we will not give them image like we are animals and world should be scared of these animals.

J.Edward Armstrong - editor@xcellagents.com said:

Let’s get angry and destroy our own cities over a shady politician. Good thinking.The entire Bhutto clan was as corrupt as they come–She was charged with illegally amassing properties and bank accounts worldwide while she was in power. She was also convicted of money laundering In Switzerland and ordered to pay 11 million USD back to the Pakistani Government. She has been thrown out of government office twice for both corruption and incompetence. She and her husband, Asif Ali Zardari , also known as ” Mr. 10% was facing eight counts including extortion and receiving 10’s of millions in illegal kick backs. Her self imposed exile ended only after Musharraf pardoned her of the charges. The couple also was having to contend with additional money laundering proceedings in Switzerland and Spain, and a civil case in London involving an expensive Surrey mansion procured through extorted kickbacks.

And then On Australian cricket team tour of Pakistan as someone from Australia said. I’m in two minds. It is very unsafe and Pakistan should be removed from cricket totally until they can present themselves as a civilized country and therefore we should not tour.

Now if the world see only right hand of this page images , They will not be saying these things. So it all boils down to people of Pakistan. And why blame the world. If we were in their shoes we will feel the same way. All the people looting private business were captured in pictures by Pakistani Media. Many TV channels failed to show those images in order to arrest these people. What was most disturbing that Bhutto who died because of her own fault. If she was inside her bomb proof car she will be living today. After her death the more sad things was that Pakistan was burning but ARY and GEO which I was watching in California. Both channels were showing poems in sympathy of Bhutto not one poem in order to unite Pakistan at the time when Pakistan was burning. Yes PTV had patriotic songs as well as extensive coverage on Bhutto’s death.

Responsibility among educated is missing. How can one blame uneducated of Pakistan? Emotions are taking over the control of our life in Pakistan. No tough love is not shown with emotions its shown with brain, with reality of world situation as of today. We all need to understand how world creates situation in countries where they have their interests. Africa is the most rich in natural recourses. But today what we see their? People are killing each others . While other countries are selling and wearing diamonds from Africa. Oil Business men has made profits from Africa. World politics is run by business community and if then need a path to Russian states via Pakistan then the first thing they will do is destabilize Pakistan. But if we show them civilized image then they will look other places to get to their target.



Media must calm the people of Pakistan. Show some responsibility.I was not fan of ppp. and I must say this God Bless her soul…She was working hard for her people. May she rest in peace
she was X PM and She was fellow Pakistani and I am sad on her death.
I ask people of Pakistan to show strength , We do not want to hear from the world that “Pakistan is Nuclear power and look at these animals who they are acting and destroying there own country”

But ARY and GEO TV failed to show patriotic emotions of the people of Pakistan. Do not tell me there were many people hurting in Pakistan from poor to rich business man who’s businesses were looted. Now its up to us all Pakistanis to sit down and think for the future of Pakistan .

As JFK once said:

Ask not what your country can do for you;
ask what you can do for your country.
Yes everything Mohammad (pbuh) said and we try to remember that. Its ok JFK was created by same God who created Mohammad (pbuh) ,you and me. We should keep these words from JFK’s speech in our minds and hearts. This will help us heel better and move on.

We should organize march of unity for the people of Pakistan. We can not wait and say he/she will do it. We must get out and have rallies for unity. All Pakistan TV channels making millions of dollars after Musharraf gave them so much freedom. Give some thing back to Pakistan by calling on the people of Pakistan for unity. ARY and GEO had nice poems right after Bhutto’s death. They can do same for the unity of Pakistan and produce some poems to unite the people of Pakistan. From TV to News Papers and from online