Musharraf announces three-day mourning for Bhutto

Source: Xinhua | 12-28-2007 08:16

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced here Thursday night that the nation would have three-day mourning for Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was killed in a suicide attack near the capital Islamabad earlier Thursday.

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf speaks in a brief televised address in Islamabad in this Dec. 27, 2007 video grab. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

In his nationwide speech through the state-run PTV, Musharraf asked the nation to keep peaceful.

Musharraf made the announcement after chairing a high-level meeting on the current situation in Pakistan, attended by Caretaker Prime Minister Muhammad Mian Soomro and other senior officials.

In a related development, Pakistani paramilitary forces were put on "red alert" nation-wide Thursday following the assassination of Bhutto, Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Cheema said.

"We have put the country on red alert. We have put paramilitary forces in the provinces at their disposal so they can ensure security and peace," said Cheema.

Pakistan police used tear gas and batons to break up an angry demonstration Thursday in the city of Peshawar after the assassination of Bhutto.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei