TRIBUTES have been paid by Kent friends of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto following her death in a suicide bomb attack in her home country.

Mrs Bhutto was killed in a gun and bomb incident after a rally in the city of Rawalpindi on Thursday.

The Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, was a close friend of the former Pakistani Prime Minister, and praised her "courage and commitment" to her country.

He said: "Benazir Bhutto has been a personal friend for many years. Her murder is a body blow for freedom and democracy in Pakistan."

He added: "My prayers are for her husband, children and family - that they will be comforted at this time of grief.

"She will always be remembered for her commitment to Pakistan and her courage in public life."

Ashford’s MP Damian Green has also spoken of his sadness over the killing.

The two became friends when they were fellow students at Oxford University. He described her as “hugely charismatic".

He added: "It is a huge personal tragedy for many of us as well as obviously a tragedy for Pakistan that she has been killed in this terrible, brutal way."

Mrs Bhutto, 54, was attacked as she travelled by car from a rally in Rawalpindi on Thursday. A suicide bomber reportedly shot her in the neck and chest before blowing himself up, killing at least 16 other people in the blast.

Mrs Bhutto was taken to hospital but pronounced dead at 6.16pm local time.

The Pakistani politian travelled to Kent in August to give a speech at the Corn Exchange, Rochester, as part of a Conservative party rally, and was a close personal friend of Medway councillor and Gillingham parliamentary candidate Reh Chishti.

He said: "She was my political mentor. She was one of the best politicians the world has ever seen. We all saw how down-to-earth and kind she was when she came to Medway.

"This is a great loss not only for Pakistan but for international politics. She returned to Pakistan to fight for what she believed in and now she has paid the ultimate price."

Cllr Chishti said he spoke to Mrs Bhutto's husband, Asif Ali Zardarias, as soon as he heard about the attack.

He said: "I was in the gym when I heard she had been injured. I phoned her husband in Dubai. He said he thought it was 50/50 whether she would survive.

"As I was driving home I got a text to say she was no longer with us. I'm so shocked at what's happened. I'm absolutely shattered by the news."

While in north Kent, Mrs Bhutto spoke to Medway Messenger reporter Luke Hollands and said then she was impressed with the area’s multi-cultural society and praised Cllr Chishti.

She said: “It is heartening to see members of the Muslim community, the Sikh community and the British community together.

“It is an example of how integration has taken place. Reh also proves that integration between cultures can work and I would like to see young Muslims follow his example.”

Mrs Bhutto returned to Pakistan in October, following a period of self-imposed exile.

Shortly after arriving in the country a suicide bomber targeted her homecoming parade, killing nearly 150 people.

She had returned to Pakistan to campaign in the country's general election, set to take place in January, vowing to fight for democracy and tackle corruption.