Indian diplomat, others pay homage to Bhutto

Dubai, Dec 31: Indian ambassador to the UAE Talmiz Ahmad paid tributes to former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assasinated on Thursday, on behalf of the Indian embassy and Indian community.

''Extremist terror has ended the life of a brilliant leader,'' Mr Ahmad said while paying homage to the departed leader at the Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi. Several ambassadors and diplomats of other countries also turned up to pay homage to the Pakistan People's Party(PPP) leader whose assassin is yet to be identified. Many members of the Pakistani community also gathered at the mission to recite religious prayers for her. ''This is a national loss for us. Benazir Bhutto had an international stature. We should be united and work for prosperity,'' Riaz H Bukhari, charge d' affaires of the Pakistani embassy said.

''The entire people of the US extend their deepest sympathy and condolences the death of Benazir Bhutto, who made many friends in the US,'' US ambassador to the UAE, Michele Sison said.

''She will be missed by not only the people of Pakistan but also by the people of the US. Those who perpetrated this terrible attack must be punished,'' he added.

''This is a serious tragedy for Pakistan. I had an opportunity to meet Bhutto when she came to Tokyo. She was a great leader and a brilliant woman. I express my sincere condolence to her family,'' Japan's ambassador to the UAE, Takuma Hatano, said.

''We consider Bhutto's death a great loss to the SAARC countries. She had taken very keen interest in our country as a member of SAARC,'' Mohammed Nabavi Junaid, ambassador of Sri Lanka to the UAE said. ''I feel great sorrow as she was our friend. She was a great lady,'' Li Lingbing, consular of Chinese embassy in Abu Dhabi said. ''I met her couple of times here. She was a great personality,'' said Australian envoy to UAE Gerald Kriechbaum.

UNI