ISLAMABAD: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Friday condemned the deadly blasts that targeted the political rally of former Premier Benazir Bhutto in Karachi, describing it as 'a conspiracy against democracy'.
Musharraf, who promulgated a controversial ordinance dropping graft charges against Bhutto on the eve of the October six Presidential poll, said he was 'deeply shocked' by last night's terrorist attack, which left nearly 140 people dead and hundreds injured.
He asked "the nation and especially the people of Karachi to exercise patience and calm in this hour," the state-run APP news agency reported.
Terming the attack as 'a conspiracy against democracy', the General said his government would "take every step to trace the culprits and award them exemplary punishment".
Musharraf also directed the government of Sindh province to hold an inquiry into the attack.
The military ruler asked the authorities to submit a report on the incident within 48 hours, Dawn News Channel said.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz too condemned the bomb blasts that occurred while Bhutto, who returned to Pakistan on Thursday after eight years in self-imposed exile, was making her way from the Karachi airport to the mausoleum of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Aziz said the perpetrators of the attack intended 'to harm the efforts being made to strengthen democracy' in Pakistan.
Hours after Bhutto flew into Karachi on Thursday from Dubai, Aziz had said the former Premier's return would strengthen the atmosphere of political reconciliation and help promote democracy.
Musharraf, who had asked Bhutto to delay her return in view of legal challenges to his re-election in uniform, had remained silent on her arrival on Thursday.
