AM speaks of Bhutto bomb horror

Mohammad Asghar is the Welsh assembly's only ethnic minority AM

A Welsh assembly member has spoken of the horrors he saw when bombs went off while he was with former PM Benazir Bhutto on her return to Pakistan.

Two explosions killed more than 130 people at a procession celebrating her return to Pakistan from exile.

Ms Bhutto was not injured, and Mohammad Asghar, the assembly's first ethnic minority AM, said he had been very close to the blasts and escaped unhurt.

Speaking to the BBC from Karachi, he said he did not know how he survived.

"I was not more than 30 to 35 yards behind Benazir Bhutto's vehicle in another vehicle and... there was one blast and we thought it was just a tyre burst or something," he said.

My wife was crying when I rang her just after 1.30 last night, then I spoke to my daughter in London and she was also frantic Mohammad Asghar on contacting his family after the attack

"People rushed to her [Ms Bhutto's] aid and within a minute or so there was a bigger bang and flash with light, and then there was the carnage. It was dreadful."

He told BBC Radio Wales he believed he was saved because he was behind two loudspeakers when the bomb went off.

Mr Asghar, a South Wales East AM who was elected last May, had been planning to be in Pakistan for about a week.

It is understood he was invited to accompany Ms Bhutto, along with other politicians and delegates, to ensure she was treated fairly on her return to Pakistan.

Benazir Bhutto's damaged vehicle under guard in Karachi on Friday

Speaking en route to a press conference at Ms Bhutto's house in Karachi on Friday, Mr Asghar described the horrific and distressing scenes in the aftermath of the attack.

"I never thought so much destruction would happen," said Mr Asghar, who was travelling in a vehicle that was not bullet-proof.

"What I've been through I've never ever seen in my life - the body parts and dead people.

"And the most moving part where I really cried was [when I saw] a mother, she was looking for a son of 21 years old.

"She only had one son and I had seen the dead body moments before and doctors told me not to mention [it] to the mother because she won't take it, she might die herself."

'Totally unthinkable'

He said he wanted to be part of Ms Bhutto's homecoming as he supported her desire for democracy in the country of his birth.

"I thought this country was going toward a democratic way and some nice thing was happening, but to be honest with you I have reservations now," he said.

More than 130 people were killed in the attack in Karachi.

He called what he had seen "totally, totally unthinkable."

A number of ministers and VIPs he was travelling with in the convoy were injured and Mr Asghar said his family and party were relieved to hear he was unharmed. "I'm very grateful that I'm safe and OK," he said.

He has been due to return to Wales on Tuesday but might return earlier, on Sunday.

A Plaid Cymru spokesperson said: "He had been invited by Benazir Bhutto to go along. It was his hope that the visit would hasten the reintroduction of democracy there.

"He doesn't want to take sides in it - he is completely neutral."

After the attack, Mr Asghar contacted Plaid chief executive Gwenllian Lansdown, who said: "I was very relieved to speak to Mohammad last night and to find out that he was safe and well.

"This attack was a horrific event, and Mohammad was clearly shaken. Our sincerest condolences go out to all the victims and their families."