French President Nicolas Sarkozy urged President Pervez Musharraf to proceed with Jan. 8 parliamentary elections even though Bhutto''s Pakistan People''s Party has lost its charismatic leader. However, other world leaders were more guarded on the question of whether the elections aimed at restoring democracy to Pakistan should now go ahead as planned.
President Bush called on the Pakistani people "to honor Benazir Bhutto''s memory by continuing with the democratic process for which she so bravely gave her life." Asked whether the United States was confident that Pakistan could stage an election in January, State Department spokesman Tom Casey said: "Well, we''re going to see what happens."
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said
"This was a cowardly terrorist act designed to destabilize democratic elections," Brown said. "The international community is united in its outrage and determination that those who stoop to such tactics shall not prevail."
Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammed Mian Soomro said the government had no immediate plans to postpone the vote, despite the growing chaos and a decision by Nawaz Sharif, another top opposition leader, to boycott the election.
"Right now, the elections stand where they were," he told a news conference. "We will consult all the political parties to take any decision about it."
The United Nations Security Council summed up the world reaction by voting Thursday unanimously to condemn the killing and urge all nations to help bring those responsible for "this reprehensible act" to justice.
Pope Benedict XVI condemned the assassination as a "brutal terrorist attack" and prayed that further violence would be avoided.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Bhutto was irreplaceable.
"In her death, the subcontinent has lost an outstanding leader who worked for democracy and reconciliation in her country," Singh said.
Afghanistan''s President Hamid Karzai, who met Bhutto earlier on Thursday in Islamabad, said he was "deeply pained" by the assassination of "this brave sister of ours, a brave daughter of the Muslim world."
North Korea''s No. 2 leader and ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam sent a message to Musharraf on Friday, expressing "deep condolences" over Bhutto''s "sudden demise," the Korean Central News Agency reported.
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