ex-Prime Minister Bhutto had just finished speaking to a large crowd this morning. The fire in her speech still hung in the air. When she was departing the rally she poked her head outside the roof of her limo to wave at her supporters. Seconds later she was shot by a lone gunman who, after shooting her, blew himself up killing at least 20 others in the crowd.

The outcry from all over the world has been huge. She was a great moderate who was the opposition leader against President Musharraf.

According to VOA News:

President Pervez Musharraf has blamed terrorists for the assassination.  He declared three days of mourning for Ms. Bhutto and called for calm.

A few hours before the fatal attack, VOA spoke with Ms. Bhutto, shortly after a meeting she had in the Pakistani capital with visiting Afghan President Hamid Karzai.  The opposition leader said she and Mr. Karzai had agreed to work together to eliminate terrorism and extremism. 

Pakistan’s other principal opposition leader, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, says his party (the Pakistan Muslim League) will boycott the elections.  Mr. Sharif told VOA it is more important to save Pakistan than to hold the vote.  He has also demanded that President Musharraf resign immediately.