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Bush Condemns Bhutto Assassination
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Her "contributions to democracy, to the improvement of India-Pakistan relations, and to the restoration of normalcy within Pakistan will be an inspiration," Mukherjee said.
Indian talk shows were filled today with interviews with people who had worked with Bhutto and knew her personally. Indian political analysts said that the lack of rule of law in Pakistan would have lasting impact throughout South Asia.
"There will be bloggers and people in India who say, well, we have a democracy and Pakistan, our old rival, doesn't," said Ramachandra Guha, a historian and expert on India-Pakistan relations. "But if there is fire in your neighbor's house, it's not good news for you, and you want to put out that fire very quickly. They eat the same food as us, they play the same sports, they have the same culture. The situation in Pakistan will be very delicate. If things go wrong for them, it's not going to go right for us."
Karan Thapar, an Indian television personality who was close friends with Bhutto when they were attending university in England more than 30 years ago, said: "She was not a cynic. She was idealistic. We spoke four days ago and I said to her, 'Don't take any unnecessary risks.' She laughed and said, 'You are not getting rid of me that soon. I'm going to be around for a long time.' "
In a letter to Musharraf, French President Nicolas Sarkozy called the assassination an "odious act" and said Bhutto had paid "with her life her commitment to the service of her fellow citizens and to Pakistan's political life." He urged Pakistan to hold its elections as scheduled on Jan. 8.
Italian Premier Romano Prodi said he was filled with grief and called Bhutto "a woman who chose to fight her battle until the end with a single weapon -- the one of dialogue and political debate," the Associated Press reported.
"The difficult path toward peace and democracy in that region must not be stopped, and Bhutto's sacrifice will serve as the strongest example for those who do not surrender to terrorism," Prodi said.
In Moscow, Anatoly Safonov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's envoy on international cooperation against terrorism, expressed fears that the killing could lead to further violence.
"The already unstable situation in Pakistan will be further exacerbated by this powerful factor," the Interfax news agency quoted Safonov as saying.
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said the "bestial" murder filled him with disgust. "I feel a strong worry for the consequences this will have for Pakistan," he said.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement that he was "shocked and outraged" by the assassination, which "represents an assault on stability in Pakistan and its democratic processes."
Ban added: "I strongly condemn this heinous crime and call for the perpetrators to be brought to justice as soon as possible." He also urged Pakistanis to exhibit "calm and restraint" and to "work together for peace and national unity."
