12 JANUARY 2008, Page 23

A legacy of democracy

Sir: I thoroughly enjoyed the splendid articles by Christina Lamb and William Shawcross on the late Benazir Bhutto (‘The fears of Pakistanis’; ‘At war with hatred’, 5 January). As a former near-neighbour of Ms Bhutto’s (in South Kensington), I asked her in May 1993 if she was afraid of assassination. ‘No, that would be my destiny,’ she immediately replied. This courageous lady’s legacy must be democracy returned to her beloved Pakistan. Her cowardly killers have silenced her, but not her message of hope.

Dominic Shelmerdine

London SW7