The Associated Press
Sunday 30 December 2007
Naudero, Pakistan - Benazir Bhutto's 19-year old son was chosen Sunday to succeed her as chairman of her opposition party, while her husband will serve as co-chairman, extending Pakistan's most famous political dynasty to another generation.
The party also decided to contest upcoming elections, apparently ending the threat of a wholesale boycott by Pakistan's political opposition as the key U.S.-ally struggles to transition to full democracy after years of military rule.
The decision was made at a closed meeting of the Pakistan Peoples Party central executive committee, three days after the two-time prime minister was assassinated in a suicide attack.
It catapults Bilawal Zardari, an Oxford University student with no political experience, to the center of Pakistan's tumultuous public life.
"The party's long struggle for democracy will continue with renewed vigor," he said at a news conference. "My mother always said democracy is the best revenge."
Supporters chanted "Benazir, princess of heaven" and "Bilawal, move ahead. We are with you."
Bhutto's husband Asif Ali Zardari, 51, is a party powerbroker who served as environment minister in her second government.
As co-chairman he is widely expected to have hands-on leaderhip of the party.
He immediately announced the group's participation in the vote, and appealed to the party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to drop his plans to boycott the polls - planned for Jan. 8 but anticipated by many to be delayed following the assassination.
The government has blamed an al-Qaida-linked militant for the murder, but the party disputes that and has suggested that elements in the ruling party could have been behind the slaying.
Zardari appealed to the United Nations and British government to help investigate.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
Naudero, Pakistan (AP) - Benazir Bhutto's 19-year-old son was chosen Sunday to succeed her as chairman of her opposition party, while her husband will serve as co-chairman, extending Pakistan's most famous political dynasty to a third generation, party officials said.
The party also decided to contest upcoming elections, apparently ending the threat of a wholesale boycott by Pakistan's political opposition as the key U.S.-ally struggles to transition to democracy after years of military rule.
The decisions were made at a closed meeting of the Pakistan Peoples Party central executive committee, three days after the two-time prime minister was assassinated in a suicide attack, two party officials told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the information.
It catapults Bilawal Zardari, an Oxford University student with no political experience, to the center of Pakistan's tumultuous public life. Bhutto's husband Asif Ali Zardari, 51, is powerbroker in the party who served as environment minister in her second government.
1 comment:
Pakistan should be proud to have had such a wise brilliant Leader as Mrs. Bhutto. She knew she was set up by the US and Musharraf but he cat's out the bag. She allowed the US to know her life was threaten as the US did nothing. Musharraf had his own plan to eliminate her. Now she is still the winner by allowing her people to know exactly what happen and putting her son in line to rule.
If the White House had done their homework and educated themselves about the Pakistan culture they might have done things differently. But stupid people do stupid things. Now Pakistan has Nukes given by the US but they will not have control of the Ruler. Musharraf left his job in the Military and now has no where to go but down.
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