VOA常速英语2007年-Pakistan Dispute Erupts Over How Bhutto Died

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Islamabad
29 December 2007

A bitter dispute has erupted in Pakistan over how opposition¹ leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto died. The government has blamed al-Qaida but the alleged² al-Qaida leader Baitullah Mehsud denies involvement in the assassination³. Ms. Bhutto's supporters say the government is covering up its failure to protect her, as VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins reports from the capital Islamabad.

Pakistan insists slain⁴ opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was killed on Thursday by al-Qaida extremists.

The government says a gunman fired three shots that missed the opposition leader, before blowing himself up. It says Ms. Bhutto died after the force of the blast caused her to hit her head against the lever on the sunroof of her car.

But Ms. Bhutto's close aide and secretary of information for her Pakistan People's Party, Shery Rehman, told VOA  Saturday the government's claim is nonsense.

"What the government is saying is completely ridiculous, in fact it's dangerous nonsense that she knocked her head against the lever of the sunroof or some such thing, as if that would attack her. But frankly," said Rehman, "it's very clear, it's running on all the Pakistan TV channels, the footage of an assassin who took clear aim at her with his gun and fired the shot that went through the back of her head and came out the other. I have seen the bullet wound myself, I was part of the bathing ritual party and she bled to death from that wound."

On Friday, Interior Ministry⁵ spokesman Javed Cheema told journalists the assailant was from al-Qaida, and the terrorist group was bent⁶ on destroying the nation.

"We have irrefutable evidence that al-Qaida, its networks, and cohorts are trying to destabilize Pakistan which is in the forefront of the war against terrorism," said Cheema.

But on Saturday, one of Pakistan's most wanted men, the Islamist leader believed to be a leader of al-Qaida, Baitullah Mehsud, denied al-Qaida had anything to do with Ms. Bhutto's death.

Ms. Bhutto's aide, Shery Rehman, believes the government is blaming al-Qaida in an effort to divert attention from its failure to protect the opposition leader. 

"Why I say it's dangerous nonsense is because this indicates either a cover-up or a complete abdication⁷ of responsibility for the provision of security for a second time prime minister and for somebody who had been under threat constantly during her political rallies," Rehman said.

Ms. Bhutto's death has plunged⁸ the nuclear-armed nation into crisis with bloody⁹ protests spread across the country that have so far left more than 30 people dead.

A suicide bomber¹⁰ attacked the Bhutto convoy¹¹ on her return to the country in October after years of exile, killing¹² 140 people.

On Friday, the government said it had no plans to delay the January eighth elections. But officials Saturday said the printing of ballot¹³ papers had been disrupted, and emergency talks on the election schedule would be held.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

3 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

4 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

7 abdication   

n.辞职；退位

参考例句：

• The officers took over and forced his abdication in 1947.1947年军官们接管了政权并迫使他退了位。
• Abdication is precluded by the lack of a possible successor.因为没有可能的继承人，让位无法实现。

8 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

9 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

10 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

11 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

12 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

13 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。