Karachi, Oct 22 : Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has demanded the Musharraf regime to conduct a probe by international experts to nail down the culprits responsible for the October 18 attack on her homecoming rally in Karachi.

"They have anti-terrorism experts who have the technical expertise to investigate attacks of this nature," Benazir told reporters at her Bilawal House residence.

The former Prime Minister further said that she had discussed the matter with some countries, including the United States and Britain, The Dawn reported.

Expressing her fear about infiltration of al Qaeda elements into the security agencies, Benazir demanded replacement of the Pakistani investigators.

She also said that she would not retract from her struggle for democracy and empowerment of the people.

Benazir went on to say that she was carrying out the struggle for the rights of the people and to provide them "roti, kapra aur makan" (bread, cloth and shelter).

Declaring that no power could stop her from connecting with mass, Benazir said that she would review her campaign programme for the coming election.

The cowardly attack had failed to intimidate her and the elements that attacked her rally actually wanted to take the country back to the dark ages, she added.

Benazir said that the deadly attack on October 18, in which around 140 lost their lives, was not an attempt on her party, but it was an attack on democracy and the integrity of the country.

The culprits knew that they could not challenge her politically because the vast majority of the country had rejected them, she added.

Criticising religious fanatics for not allowing the democratic process to continue, Benazir said that they are doing so because they know that the empowered people would not join the army of the so-called jihadis.

Islam was a religion of peace and prohibited the killing of innocent people, particularly women, the daily quoted her, as saying.

Commenting on the Thursday rally, she said the grand reception had demonstrated the power of PPP, adding, the people consider the PPP as the only political party, which could steer the country out of the current social morass and economic and political instability.

Benazir said that switching off the streetlights on Sharea Faisal that night was an act of sabotage and demanded that the matter should be thoroughly investigated. (ANI)