US urges democracy in volatile Pakistan

CRAWFORD: The United States appealed for calm and urged its "war on terror" ally Pakistan to press on with its elections after the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto on Thursday.   

Condemning the "cowardly" suicide attack that killed her, US President George W. Bush urged Pakistanis "to honor Benazir Bhutto's memory by continuing with the democratic process for which she so bravely gave her life."   

The attack at an election rally in the Pakistani city Rawalpindi sparked deadly riots and fears for stability in the nuclear-armed country, as well as overshadowing next month's planned elections, which Bhutto had been tipped to win.   

Bush telephoned Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to discuss the situation, the White House said, while US officials appealed for calm in Pakistan amid deadly riots following Bhutto's murder.   

"The US strongly condemns this cowardly act by murderous extremists who are trying to undermine Pakistan's democracy," Bush told.   

He called on Pakistanis to stay on the path of democracy after Musharraf ended six weeks of emergency rule ahead of the elections due on January 8.   

"We stand with the people of Pakistan in that struggle against the forces of terror and extremism," Bush said near his ranch in Texas where he is spending the end-of-year holidays.   

Bush made a "brief" call to Musharraf at 1815 GMT, spokesman Scott Stanzel said. He gave no details of the conversation but cited Bush's concerns for democracy and security in Pakistan, which has aided the United States in its hunt for extremists linked to the Al-Qaeda network.   

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari, and her successor as head of the Pakistani People's Party, Amin Fahim, to express her condolences, said State Department spokesman Tom Casey.   

Casey urged Pakistan to maintain the date for the elections.  

"To have some kind of postponement or a delay directly related to it in the democratic process ... would be a victory for no one but the extremists responsible for this attack," he said.   

Rice said in a statement that "Bhutto's passing is a great loss for Pakistan. I knew her as a woman of great courage and had been impressed by her dedication and commitment to democracy and to the future of Pakistan itself."   

She also urged "the Pakistani people, political leaders, and civil society to maintain calm and to work together to build a more moderate, peaceful, and democratic future."   

The suicide attack at a rally for Bhutto left at least 20 people dead and raised new questions about Pakistan's stability under Musharraf ahead of next month's vote.   

At least four people were killed later on Thursday as angry mobs took to the streets of Pakistani cities, torching scores of vehicles and buildings.   

Stanzel said it was too early to assign blame for Bhutto's murder but said its perpetrator "has used a tactic which Al-Qaeda is very familiar with, and that is suicide bombing and the taking of innocent lives to try to disrupt a democratic process."   

Washington has been taking a cautious line toward its key ally in the "war on terror," particularly after Musharraf imposed emergency rule from November 3 to December 15 and cracked down on his opposition.   

The moves prompted both a review of US aid to Pakistan and a broader debate on its status as an ally, but Bush's administration stayed upbeat toward Musharraf and supported an alliance between him and Bhutto as a future prime minister.   

US officials have insisted on the need to ensure free and fair elections next month but have shied away from speculating on what they would do if the polls turned out to be rigged.   

The Bush administration has also faced a restive US Congress.   

The US Congress moved last week to put limits on 300 million dollars of US military aid received each year by Pakistan, stipulating that 50 million of those funds be withheld until the Bush administration demonstrates that Pakistan is making clear moves toward democracy.   

On the issue of security, Stanzel said the Bush administration has an "open dialogue" with Musharraf's successor as head of the army, Ashfaq Kiyani.   

US presidential candidates also voiced concern over the assassination's security implications.   

The killing raised geopolitical security concerns and rattled investors Thursday, with US stock indices posting triple-digit losses and the dollar weakening.