Monday, December 31, 2007

Bhutto’s son named as successor

31 December 2007
Courtesy: Miadhu

Bilawal Zardari, the 19-year old son of Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's assassinated former Prime Minister, and Opposition Leader, has been chosen to succeed her as chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto's husband, will serve as co-chairman, party officials said on Sunday.

"My mother always said that democracy is the best revenge," Bilawal told a press conference in Naudero, Bhutto's ancestral home in the Larkana district of Sindh province, shortly after being appointed the political successor.

Bilawal becomes the third Bhutto to lead the nation's largest political party after his mother and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto - his grandfather and founder of the PPP who was executed in 1979.

Party officials said Bhutto's will had named Asif Zardari as the party chairman.

But Zardari requested that Bilawal be named the leader instead and the party leadership agreed.

Bhutto was assassinated Thursday in a gun and bomb attack as she left an election rally in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi.

The assassination shocked the world. Condemnation of the assassination was swift and strong and came from across the globe. World leaders were quick to condemn the extremist and murderous action and have called on the Pakistani government for a full investigation.

The Pakistani government earlier claimed that al-Qaeda was responsible was for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

But the Pakistani al-Qaeda leader, Baitullah Mehsud denied any involvement in the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. Through a spokesperson, he has stated that it is against his tribal traditions to attack a woman. The spokesperson says there is a conspiracy between the Pakistani government, the army and the intelligence agency.

Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party has also dismissed government accusations that she was killed by al Qaeda, saying President Pervez Musharraf's embattled administration was trying to cover up its failure to protect her.

Hillary Clinton, US Democratic Presidential contender earlier suggested that Pakistani security forces or military might have been involved and called for an independent, international investigation into Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.

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