After tenuous weeks of negotiating her return to Pakistan, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's nightmare materialized. The triumphant homecoming she had hoped for was marred by deadly suicide bombing attacks as her motorcade made its way through Karachi.

Bhutto was not injured, but the death toll yesterday exceeded 120 and was expected to grow. Hundreds more were injured.

Bhutto, 54, the first woman to serve as prime minister in Pakistan, knew the risks of her return. Authorities had urged her to take a helicopter to mitigate those risks; she declined.

"This is a movement for democracy because we are under threat from extremists and militants," she told reporters on her journey from Dubai.

The terrorist attacks are a sobering reminder of the high stakes at hand as the U.S. hopes for a stable Pakistan — where al-Qaida and Taliban forces continue to thrive.

Bhutto, who was living in Dubai in self-imposed exile to avoid corruption charges, had negotiated a power-sharing deal with Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Musharraf was elected last week in an election boycotted by the opposition party — a sign of his troubled tenure.

While Bhutto still deals with the shadow of graft and corruption charges, her pro-Western liberal agenda, coupled with the military support Musharraf would bring to the partnership, held hopes for a more stable government.

That stability is key to keeping government control, and the nuclear weaponry that would come with it, out of the hands of extremists factions.

The way forward for Bhutto and Musharraf will clearly be difficult if not dangerous. Their success in achieving a more stable Pakistan is something the global community must hope for.