WASHINGTON, Jan 17: Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has demanded an international probe into the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and observed that the slain Pakistani leader had made tremendous contributions to the cause of democracy.

In a full-house debate on Pakistan, Ms Pelosi also urged the Bush administration to ensure that the forthcoming elections are fair and free.

It is unusual for the speaker to participate in a debate but Ms Pelosi made an exception to express her sentiments on Ms Bhutto’s murder, recalling her long acquaintance with the Pakistani leader.

“It was about 15 years ago that Benazir Bhutto came to this chamber of Congress, one of the first women ever to address a joint session of Congress,” she said.

“Benazir Bhutto was only in her thirties, I believe, at the time. She inspired us; she filled us with hope and the confidence which she projected; she gave us the confidence that democracy could come to Pakistan,” said Ms Pelosi.

“There must be a strong international investigation of this despicable crime,” said Ms Pelosi while referring to Ms Bhutto’s assassination. “I acknowledge and recognise that the government has accepted assistance from Scotland Yard and the government of Great Britain,” she added.

But Ms Pelosi also noted that “the Musharraf government continues to deny the Pakistani people a full accounting of the assassination and the events that followed”.

Talking about Ms Bhutto’s return to Pakistan, she noted: “Her return was courageous. It was courageous for many reasons. It’s important to note that her father and two of her brothers had been assassinated. They were victims of political violence and of course, their family was dealt another blow as were the people of Pakistan with the brutal assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

“She possessed a remarkable optimism about the future, a belief in the power of dialogue, and a strong commitment to democracy. She was an advocate for reconciliation, between Islamic and non-Islamic societies, and outlined how that goal could be achieved.”

Ms Pelosi said that Ms Bhutto not only had a vision, she had a plan on how it would be done. “The strength of her message and hope has underscored how much we lost in her tragic death.”

She said that the Pakistan government also has delayed scheduled parliamentary elections and continues to jail democratic activists, suppress journalists, and shut out international monitors.

“The Bush Administration must continue to press the Pakistani government to ensure that the coming election is free and fair. It is important to note,” she said.

The speaker recalled that the 9/11 Commission recommendations, signed into law last year, conditioned US assistance to Pakistan to its progress in the war against terrorism.

The speaker noted that although the Bush Administration has repeatedly certified that US assistance would facilitate Pakistan’s transition to democracy, “we clearly have not seen enough progress in this area”.

Ms Pelosi said that troubling questions were being raised about US assistance to Pakistan - that it has not been properly monitored and that the Pakistani government may be using it for purposes other than those that were intended.