By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s 19-year-old son Bilawal was Sunday named chairperson of her Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), replacing his slain mother, even as the party decided contest the general elections slated for Jan 8 but which could be postponed.
“I am thankful to the CEC (Central Executive Committee) for nominating and reposing confidence in me,” Bilawal said at a press conference that was also addressed by Bhutto’s hudband Asif Ali Zardari and other PPP leaders.
“I will stand as the symbol of federation and I stand committed to the federation. My mother always said that democracy is the best revenge,” said the teenager, who is studying at Oxford University.
Before Bilawal spoke to the media, PPP vice president Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that according to Bhutto’s will that was read out in the CEC meeting by Bilawal, Zardari was to replace her as party chairperson.
“According to the will, she said her husband will lead the party in case she is murdered,” Fahim said.
However, Zardari refused to lead the party and instead nominated Bilawal, who would be guided by the party leaders, Fahim added.
Addressing the press conference, Zardari said that his children Bilawal, Bakhtawar and Assefa had themselves decided to change their names. His son would now be called Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and his two daughters would also hyphenate the Bhutto surname to Zardari.
Zardari said the CEC also decided to contest the polls as Bhutto had given her life in campaigning for the elections. He said he himself would not contest the polls but there were many leaders in the party who could lead the government if the PPP came to power.
He said that the best way of taking revenge for Bhutto’s killing was to strengthen the democracy in Pakistan.
“Let’s win the forthcoming elections. It would be revenge against those who killed her,” said Zardari.
The press conference was punctuated with slogans like “Benazir is alive”.