Bhutto's Party to Take Vote Decision, Appoint Chief

Source: Bloomberg news

The Pakistan Peoples Party will name a new leader today and decide whether to participate in parliamentary elections or call for a postponement following Benazir Bhutto's assassination last week.

Bhutto, who led the party since her father, former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was executed in 1979, has named a successor in her will. The will is scheduled to be read out by her son Bilawal today, Bhutto's widower Asif Ali Zardari said yesterday, AAJ television reported.

Benazir Bhutto's assassination has deepened the turmoil in Pakistan, less than two weeks before elections, which the government still intends to hold on Jan. 8. As many as 38 people were killed in two days of rioting across the country as Bhutto supporters took to the streets, burning offices, shops and cars.

Bhutto's son Bilawal, a 19-year-old student at Oxford University, will be named her successor and the new leader of the party, Newsweek reported, citing an unidentified person who has read the will. The Pakistani press has reported that Amin Fahim, the party's vice-chairman, Bhutto's sister Sanam, her widower Zardari or lawyer Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, may also be considered to succeed Bhutto as party chief.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aZEnPArd9Om4&refer=home

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To name her teenage son as a replacement would be a major mistake, as would be naming her husband. Bhutto's husband was the center of corruption charges during her rules as PM of Pakistan.

The International News (Pakistan)

Updated at Sunday, December 30, 2007 1700 PST

NAUDERO: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) martyred chairperson, Benazir Bhutto’s close confidant Sherry Rahman has said that the son of Benazir, Bilawal was not willing to take over the PPP leadership.

Talking to French News Agency here, she told this.

When quizzed as to whether Bilawal could be nominated as the new party chief, Sherry Rahman told that Bilawal, 19 was not willing to take part in politics at this time and added, “He is young and going back for the completion of his studies.”

Meanwhile, other office-bearers of the party said that Bilawal too could take over the party president slot and if it so happened, then the PPP would possibly set up a consultative council headed by Asif Zardari.

British Oxford University student, Bilawal would read out his mother’s will in the party meeting today.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=34781

her son and husband have been named co-chairmen

http://www.mail.com/Article.aspx?articlepath=APNews\Top%20Headlines\20071230\Pakistan_20071230.xml&cat=topheadlines&subcat=&pageid=1

"Sherry Rehman, a close aide of Benazir Bhutto said that PPP couldn’t thrust party leadership on Bilawal."

also -- "She has told CNN-IBN that it is too early to say that Bilawal will take over. MS Bhutto was herself forced into politics. “He is too young and has seen a lot of violence. He will decide for himself. He comes from a great dynasty and has the making of a wonderful person,” adds Sherry Rehman."