Bilawal is Benazir's political successor

Rezaul Hasan Lashkar
Larkana/Islamabad, Dec 30 (PTI) Settling the succession issue three days after Benazir Bhutto's assassination, the PPP today annointed her 19-year-old son Bilawal to head the party and decided to take part in next month's general elections.

Bhutto's husband Asif Ali Zardari and her close confidant, Makhdoom Amin Fahim were named as co-chairmen of the party.

The decisions were taken at a crucial meeting of PPP's central executive committee held in anscestral home of the Bhuttos in Naudero, Larkana, in Sindh Province.

Bhutto's will written on October 16, two days before her return from exile, was read out at the meeting in which she had named Zardari as her political successor if some unfortunate thing happens to her.

However, Zardari passed on the mantle to Bilawal, a student of Oxford University, which was endorsed by the meeting.

Addressing a crowded press conference, Bilawal, flanked by Zardari and Fahim, said that he would continue the struggle to restore democracy in Pakistan with as much vigour as his mother desired.

Now that he was the leader, PPP's "long and historic struggle for democracy will continue with new vigour", Bilawal said adding "my mother always said that democracy is the best revenge".

Bilawal also said as he was pursuing his studies, his father would be looking after the party affairs in his absence. Once he finished his studies, he would take full control of the party, he said. PTI

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