Prepared to risk life for democracy in Pak: Benazir

Karachi, Oct 19: Terming the suicide bombing on her homecoming procession late last night ''an attack on democracy and the very unity and integrity of Pakistan,'' former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto today asserted she would not be deterred in her struggle for democracy.

''Militancy is a threat to unity and integrity of Pakistan,'' she said, addressing a press conference here, adding ''militants are killing our armed forces and knocking at doors of our frontiers.'' Asserting she was prepared to risk her life to make Pakistan safe and to promote democracy, she said she did not want the country to be ''run by warlords issuing fatwas.'' ''We want to save democracy and to become guardian of our society. I knew that I can be attacked but was ready to face it because of my conviction that life and death is in hands of Allah.

It is because of this reason that I decided to return home,'' the leader of Pakistan's biggest political party said.

She said she saw last night's occurrence ''not as attack on an individual, but an attack on me and on what I represent.'' Apprehending more attacks on her and her house in the future, she said she had informed President Pervez Musharraf in advance about possibility of such an attack.

The suicide attack on PPP caravan at Shahra-e-Faisal near Karsaz late last night left at least 139 people dead including three police officers while over 550 were injured.

UNI