WASHINGTON – President Bush yesterday expressed outrage over the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, but implored Pakistanis not to let it derail democracy.
“The United States strongly condemns this cowardly act by murderous extremists who are trying to undermine Pakistan’s democracy,” Bush said at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, where he is spending the holidays.
He expressed his deepest condolences to Bhutto’s family and to the families of others slain in the attack and to all the people of Pakistan.
In his comments, Bush asked that Pakistanis honor Bhutto’s memory “by continuing with the democratic process for which she so bravely gave her life.”
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice condemned “this cowardly and murderous attack.”
“The deadly results of this attack will no doubt test the will and patience of the people of Pakistan,” Rice said.
“We urge the Pakistani people, political leaders and civil society to maintain calm and to work together to build a more moderate, peaceful and democratic future.”
At the State Department, deputy spokesman Tom Casey urged that President Pervez Musharraf not postpone the Jan. 8 elections and not re-impose emergency rule, which Musharraf declared in the fall and rescinded only earlier this month.
“It would be a victory for no one but the extremists responsible for this attack to have some kind of postponement or a delay directly related to it in the democratic process,” he said.
“We certainly would not think it appropriate to have any kind of return to emergency rule or other kinds of measures taken in response to this.”
Spokesmen from the White House and State Department said yesterday that it was too early to know what effect Bhutto’s killing would have on US efforts to stabilize the only Muslim nation to have nuclear weapons.
White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said what happens next in Pakistan will depend on its citizens, but he urged leaders there to go forward with the Jan. 8 election.
“Free and fair elections are an integral part of a democratic society . . . but that is up to the people of Pakistan,” Stanzel said.
Bush spoke with Musharraf yesterday afternoon, and Rice spoke to Bhutto’s husband, but details of the calls were not released.
Bhutto’s return to the country and the ability of her party to contest free and fair elections had been a cornerstone of Bush’s policy in Pakistan, where US officials had watched Musharraf’s growing authoritarianism with increasing unease.
Said Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, leading Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, “This is a critical moment for Pakistan, for the region, and for the community of nations as we encourage democracy and stability in Pakistan.”
Irritated by the situation, Congress last week imposed new restrictions on US assistance to Pakistan, including tying $50 million in military aid to State Department assurances that the country is making “concerted efforts” to prevent terrorists from operating inside its borders.
Under the law, which provides a total of $300 million in aid to Pakistan and was signed by Bush on Wednesday, Rice also must guarantee Pakistan is implementing democratic reforms, including releasing political prisoners and restoring an independent judiciary.
The law also prevents any of the funds from being used for cash-transfer assistance to Pakistan, but that stipulation had already been adopted by the administration.
Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the assassination should spur a recommitment of US support for Pakistan’s democracy.
With Post Wire Services