Adil Najam
The News is now confirmed. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has been named the new Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party. His father, Benazir’s husband, Asif Ali Zardari will be the co-Chairman.
Seemingly credible reports suggest that Bilawal Zardari, Benazir Bhutto’s 19-year old son, now a student at Oxford University, is being considered as the new PPP Chairperson to succeed his mother - and before that his grandmother and grandfather. Later today he will read out a testament from Benazir Bhutto outlining the future of the party.
Repeating what is now being widely reported, but in more detail, a report from Christina Lamb and Dean Nelson of The Times (London) details:
BENAZIR BHUTTO’S 19-year-old son Bilawal will be thrust into a dangerous spotlight today as Pakistan’s most powerful political dynasty prepares to pass the baton to the next generation. Bilawal, a first-year undergraduate at Oxford University, is the heir to a blood-soaked legacy. He lost his mother to an assassin on Thursday; his uncles both died in suspicious circumstances; and his grandfather, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was hanged in 1979 after being deposed from power….
At 3pm today Pakistan time Bilawal will read out his dead mother’s political testament to leaders of the Pakistan People’s party (PPP), which his grandfather founded and the family has always controlled. “They have to show his face to reassure the party that there will be another Bhutto leader in the future,” a diplomat said. Bilawal is expected to play a leading role in the campaign for elections, still scheduled for January 8 despite the riots that have followed the assassination. But he will return to his studies at Christ Church early next year. Under Pakistani law, parliamentary candidates must be at least 25 years old.
Benazir Bhutto wanted Bilawal to complete his education before becoming involved in politics. Although she would have liked him to lead the party, she did not want him to feel compelled to do so or to make the kind of sacrifices that she had to make when her father was executed. Her widowed husband, Asif Ali Zardari, will make a bid today to lead the PPP in order to keep power firmly in the hands of the Bhutto family and to ensure that Bilawal can eventually inherit his mother’s political mantle.
Party leaders grieving for her began discussing the succession last night. The talks took place in Bhutto’s ancestral home at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, where she was buried on Friday in the mausoleum that she built for her late father. Early this morning 10 villagers were keeping vigil by her grave, reciting the Koran. There were two fresh wreaths from the new army chief General Ashfaq Kayani.
…The prospect of Zardari returning to frontline politics has horrified several members of the PPP central executive, who blame him for embroiling Bhutto’s two short-lived governments in corruption allegations. Zardari became known as Mr Ten Per Cent because of widespread allegations that he received kickbacks on government contracts. Many in the party would prefer to see the PPP taken over by Makhdoom Amin Fahim, head of another feudal family, who ran the party while Bhutto was in exile.
If, indeed, he becomes the Chairman - now or in the near future, nominally or actually - the Bhutto family legacy will continue. While the last name changes - as it did in India when Jawaharlal Nehru’s daughter Indira Gandhi took over - the reins of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will remain in the Bhutto clan.
I must confess that my own immediate feelings on this are rather mixed.
I do not think this is a burden (given the weight of the responsibilities or the dangers) to be thrust on one so young. I have never met Bilawal but hear from those who have that he is an impressive young man. I have no doubts that he is but it is neither fair on him nor the party nor the cause of democracy for this to happen at this moment or in this way. More that that, I wish (even though I know it was unlikely) that the Party would open up its leadership and internal democracy process. Also, there is the fear that if he is anointed many will try to manipulate him and he will be turned into a “puppet prince.” I do hope that none of this will happen.
If indeed a role is thrust upon him, even as a figure head whose appointment is meant to hold the party together, this is clearly a big responsibility. It is probably something that he probably anticipated in his future. His mother clearly did. But probably not as soon as this and certainly not in these tragic circumstances.
Whatever happens in the next hours I wish young Bilawal the best. This must be an immensely trying time for him. Whatever happens, I hope and wish and pray that even if he comes to this position because some consider it to be his ‘ancestaral right’ that he will think always of what is good for Pakistan. That he will remember that this is not a privilidge but also a responsibility. There are, of coruse, grave dangers that come with the mantle that some might want him to take on. And I pray earnestly that his fate will not be that of his mother and grandfather.
Finally, no matter what is decided, I pray that he will be guided by the purity, optimism and ideals of youth and not by the self-serving interests of those many who will flood to ‘advise’ him. Leadership is to be judged not only by what leaders do but by who advise they seek and listen to.
My advise to him - not that he asked - is that he should listen always to his heart and mind, well before he listens to anyone around him. Let him be guided by his own idealism, rather than the political ‘pragmatism’ of those who will soon (if they have not already) surround him. Let him follow that which was best in Benazir Bhutto and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and avoid their follies.
I wish Bilawal well. But I will wait on my judgement of him, as will history.
[NOTE TO READERS: We had earlier posted a story suggesting that Bilawal Zardari had already been confirmed as the new PPP Chairperson. Realizing that at that point it had not been confirmed, we then took this post off and replaced it with a note of apology saying that this news was not yet confirmed. Given that Bilawal Bhutto as PPP Chairperson was clearly a possibility (either immediately or in the near future) and that a number of still-relevant comments had been made, we then merged the two posts (including relevant comments) but with appropriate changes in the original post to reflect the fact that as of this writing this was a 'likelihood' and not a confirmation. It now turns out that our original sources were correct and Bilawal has been named Chairman.]
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I don’t know why my comments are being censored…but anyway, here’s an excerpt form the Daily Times:
Benazir’s note: In an interview to BBC radio on Saturday, Zardari said Benazir had left instructions about the future of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to be read in the event of her death, which would be made public on Sunday, AFP reported.
Zardari said that their son would read out the message from Benazir. He also revealed that his wife had made detailed plans for her burial, including changing the location of the plot from his family’s ancestral tomb to her family’s mausoleum following another recent suicide bomb attack. “She has left a message for the party and she has left a will, so we shall be doing that tomorrow (Sunday) in a meeting,” he said. Asked if he would succeed her as party leader, Zardari said: “It depends on the party and depends on the (Benazir’s) will.”
I hope ATP hasn’t jumped the gun on this one…
I think Zardari was out of question but now Zaedari family has taken over PPP. Zardari must be happy to just have that. I wish Bilwal best and hope he learn from the mistakes of past by the PPP.
Mohsen Ali says:
A sad decision which will truly mean rewinding history twenty years back. I am also sad to see that educated people could support the dynasties.
Sometime one should make right & just decision and let things go in flow.
And that is exactly what we would like to do. In current situation keeping the PPP united is the most important thing. As PPP is the hope for our poeple.
I know that we have many other parties but none the caliber of PPP with its roots in people.
If we let go the PPP the terrorist have already won. I don’t like the herditary factor here but that is a sacrifice I am going to make to keep PPP united. I can only wish & pray that Bilawal will bring modern democratic principles within his own party, but by no means this is the time to practice it.
We need a United PPP & a healthy PML to be in the elections or the political disguise of AL Qaeda will gain control of our country AGAIN for another 5 years. And that is the cost we can’t afford.
How can we ask a person to be sensible if he does not even have sense that what he is doing is un-ethical, immoral and un-democratic.Making him leader in Best Interest of Party looks to me same as making Musharaf President in Best Interest of Pakistan.
The next name in the list is said to be of Sanam Bhutto, in any case they want a Bhutto’s name to be in the people controlling the party.
A sad decision which will truly mean rewinding history twenty years back. I am also sad to see that educated people could support the dynasties.
Sometime one should make right & just decision and let things go in flow.
Kasim Mahmood says:December 29th, 2007 7:15 pm
Another sad day in the history of PPP. Without the Bhutto name, it’ll be a difficult ride for him. Doesn’t ZAB has any grandsons from his two sons ?
Yes ZAB have a Grandson from Mir Murtaza. His name is Zulfiqar Jr. Murtaza & now his wife had a small faction of followers & form what I have heard, he is not that much of a politician to lead PPP. His sister Fatima is younger but more vocal. However she is too much leaning towards Socialist agenda, which makes her unelectable by the west.
Also she have written extensively against BB claiming her to be involved in her Mir Murtaza’s murder. That will make her case tougher to calim to succession after BB.
So Bilawal can for the time being heal the party, lead it through the election & if he have some grasp of modern politics after living in London for most part of his life, he have the chance to deliver true non family linked democracy to Pakistan by grooming the party for a new leadership.
We’ll see how it goes,
In ideal world
Aitezaz should be the choice, but he is Punjabi & He is way to leaning towards Judiciary so may not be a good choice.
Amin Fahim has been groomed by BB in past few years & he is Sindhi, but that will give Punjab a reason to defect.
So in these circumstances, Bilawal may be a better choice. He may take the party through the elction.
He may stay as the leader of the party & let some senior person take over the control of government. if he does that that will be good, as he can keep the party united & at the same time provide the country with experienced ledership.
He have a lot to learn & I pray for his success. He is half my age, but I will be willing to support him IF he shows some sensibility.
Interesting comments about Amin Fahim and Aitzaz Ahsan. I think Aitzaz is probably the best choice for Prime Minister if PPP wins a majority (and I hope it does).
Amin Fahim, by all accounts, is actually a good person but I admit I can’t see him representing Pakistan anywhere outside of Sindh…he should nominated to be PPP’s Chief Minister.
So yeah, the best thing now is for Aitzaz to be PM, the former judges to be restored, and Musharraf to go home (or to the US)…..okay, I’ll stop dreaming now.
I must say I’m shocked to hear that this story has broken out already. None of the news outlets are reporting this; I guess Adil might have received advanced word through some source.
Anyway, I agree that the parties should have elections within themselves. But, if any of you have ever been inside Sindh and talked to and been in touch with the core base of PPP, you will find that they will support this decision wholeheartedly. Call it stupid, irrational, whatever; but isn’t that the essence of democracy? I.e. letting people decide whatever they want, and if they realize they dont like it, well, they can just change it.
PPP is a national party, but it was nothing without the Bhutto name. As an example, consider the former Lion of Punjab Mustafa Khar; he is completely irrelevant today.
Also, consider the election in India that saw the Congress party coming to power; do you really think they were electing Manmohan Singh? (Ha!) No, they were electing a Gandhi; in fact, a lot of the farmer class in India threatened to commit suicide Sonia Gandhi did not become Prime Minister!