(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-12-28 13:11

London -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown condemned Thursday the killing of Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto as "cowards afraid of democracy."

It was "a sad day" for political freedom and democracy, the prime minister said in a statement.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary David Miliband called the apparent suicide bombing which killed Bhutto a "senseless attack."

Justice Secretary Jack Straw also issued a statment, saying " The sense of grief at her senseless killing will I know be shared not just by Pakistani communities across the world but by everyone, because this terrorism is an attack on us all, regardless of race, religion or party. We will ensure that it is defeated."

Bhutto, a two-time prime minister of Pakistan, was killed as she campaigned in Rawalpindi, south of capital Islamabad, ahead of elections due in January.