The late president's coffin is borne by a solemn guard at Islamabad. 17.8.1988 Pakistan's military ruler, President Zia ul-Haq, was killed today when his Hercules transport plane blew up in mid-air after taking off from Bahawalpur, where he had been inspecting armoured troops. Arnold Raphel, the US Ambassador, was also killed along with the senior US military attache to Pakistan, Brigadier-General Herbert Wassom, and several members of the Pakistan armed forces.

There is, as yet, no explanation for the crash of the Hercules, which is regarded as a safe and sturdy aircraft. Tonight, Ghulam Ishaq Ichan who, as chairman of the Senate is now acting president, said: "Sabotage cannot be ruled out." The list of people who wanted Zia dead is long. He seized power in a coup in ~977 and later hanged the democratically-elected Zulfikar Mi Bhutto on charges of murder. He instituted a strict code of Islamic morality and imposed an iron-fisted military dictatorship.

He also became the main ally of the US in the region and provided the infrastructure for the Afghan mujahideen to wage war against the Russians. Sabotage is therefore a distinct possibility.