Democracy is vital to the future of Pakistan. It was in a fragile enough state even before the killing of Pakistan People's Party leader Benazir Bhutto at an election rally in Rawalpindi. It is now bound to have been weakened further, and deliberately so. Yet it must prevail despite the ramifications of this appalling outrage. It cannot be allowed to be defeated by terrorism.

The political situation in Pakistan is incredibly complex and potentially volatile and what has happened will be felt here. The unique, strong links between Bradford and Pakistan were demonstrated by T&A readers' response to the earthquake which ravaged part of the homeland of many local residents.

Now a man-made disaster has struck that country thanks to those who misguidedly seek to undermine the democratic process. Bradford people who have friends and family there will once again be following the news, deeply concerned about how the situation might develop.

We share their worries but desperately hope they prove unfounded, for the sake of all of that troubled region. Put bluntly, with Pakistan an influential player in the area and a nuclear state, this crisis is something all the world should worry about.

Cool heads must prevail to allow the country to move ahead to a future in which democratically-elected politicians are able to work together wisely for the benefit of all the people.