Crawford, Texas: US President George W Bush condemned the assassination of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto on Thursday, and the United States urged Islamabad to proceed with elections planned for January 8.
''The United States strongly condemns this cowardly act by murderous extremists who are trying to undermine Pakistan's democracy,'' said Bush, who looked tense and took no questions. He expressed his deepest condolences to Benazir's family and to the families of others slain in the attack and to all the people of Pakistan.
US officials called for Pakistan go ahead with its election, with Bush saying: "We urge them to honor Benazir Bhutto's memory by continuing with the democratic process for which she so bravely gave her life."
Bush praised Benazir 's courage in returning to Pakistan in October to participate in elections aimed at restoring a democratic government after eight years of military rule by President Pervez Musharraf.
"She knew that her return to Pakistan earlier this year put her life at risk," Bush said. "Yet she refused to allow assassins to dictate the course of her country."
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said of Benazir: "I knew her as a woman of great courage and had been impressed by her dedication and commitment to democracy and the future of Pakistan itself."
Benazir, 54, was killed in a gun and bomb attack after a rally in Rawalpindi on Thursday, less than two weeks before a January 8 election she hoped to win.
Bush called Musharraf on Thursday to discuss the situation.
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