Pakistani former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated as she was leaving an election rally on Thursday, may have been killed by a sniper firing from a nearby building, the New York Times reported, citing witnesses.

"The attack bore hallmarks of the Qaeda-linked militants in Pakistan. But witnesses described a sniper firing from a nearby building, raising questions about how well the government had protected her in a usually well-guarded garrison town and fueling speculation that government sympathizers had played a part," the New York Times reported.

Bhutto, 54, was shot in the neck or head, according to differing accounts, as she stood in the open sunroof of a car and waved to crowds.

The Interior Ministry claims that seconds later a suicide attacker detonated his bomb, damaging one of the cars in her motorcade, killing more than 20 people and wounding 50.

"Bhutto's death now presents President Pervez Musharraf with one of the most potent crises of his turbulent eight years in power, and Bush administration officials with a new challenge in their efforts to stabilize a front-line state - home to both Al Qaeda and nuclear arms - in their fight against terrorism," The New York Times commented.

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