Bomb blasts hit Bhutto's return to Pakistan

Ms Bhutto, who had returned after eight years of exile, escaped unharmed but there was no doubt she was the target of a carefully planned assassination attempt. A small explosion was followed by a huge blast just feet from the front of her vehicle, shattering its windows and setting a police escort on fire. Four bullets were also fired at the convoy, reports said.

Ms Bhutto could be seen in television pictures being lowered from the bottom deck of her truck. Azhar Farooqi, a police commander, said she was rushed from the area under contingency plans to return her to her Karachi residence. "She was evacuated very safely," he added.

Ghulam Mohammed Mohtaram, the provincial home secretary, said the main impact of the blast was absorbed by the police vehicle. Dozens of bodies could be seen lying motionless at the scene; other victims were writhing around in agony.

Seemi Jamali, a doctor at the nearby Jinnah Hospital, said his casualty unit had taken in 19 dead and 70 wounded. Between 20 and 25 of the injured were in a critical condition. Another medic at the Liaqat National Hospital reported 30 dead and 80 hurt, many critically.

Men were seen running away from the scene, some stretchering the wounded to hospitals as blood streamed down the white robes worn by many of them.

The perpetrators of the bombs – which police indicated might have been suicide attacks – were not immediately clear. Earlier, however, the pro-Western Mrs Bhutto had criticised Islamic militants groups whose threats had overshadowed her return to Pakistan. She has previously infuriated al-Qa'ida sympathisers by offering support to the US in its efforts to find the terror group's leader, Osama bin Laden.