Members of Oxford University's Pakistan Society gathered tonight to remember people killed in a suicide bombing aimed at the country's former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto.

Last Thursday's attack, which occurred as she travelled through Karachi hours after returing to the country from exile, killed 144 people.

It was the country's worst suicide attack and cast a cloud over hopes that her return, under an American-backed deal reached with President Pervez Musharraf, might end months of unrest.

Oxford-based Pakistanis gathered for Dua - or prayer - outside the Radcliffe Camera, in Radcliffe Square.

City councillor Altaf Khan, who is originally from Kashmir, was one of those present at the vigil.

He said: "The Pakistan Society is a long-established group at Oxford University and I was pleased to join them for prayer.

"It is good for Pakistan she (Ms Bhutto) has returned in an attempt to bring democratically-elected government to the country after a military dictatorship.

"During her exile, extremism in Pakistan exacerbated."