Launching Bilawal Bhutto
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. — Photo by Reuters/File
It’s been three decades since Zulfikar Ali Bhutto created the hype around his persona and politics, and lasting it has certainly proven to be.
Today, his children and their off-springs might have moved away from each other, but efforts are in full swing to retain and cash in on the Bhutto name in the upcoming elections.
In conversations with Dawn, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) stalwarts confided that even though Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would turn 25 in September next year – the minimum age to contest elections in the country – his father President Asif Ali Zardari is intent on launching his son’s formal political career by May when general elections would be held.
A sitting PPP member of the National Assembly from Sindh claimed that just like it is unimaginable for the Congress in India to go into elections without a Gandhi leading its campaign, it is unthinkable for PPP leaders to disassociate themselves from the Bhuttos.
“Whether somebody likes it or not, Bilawal, Asifa and Bakhtawar are the face of the party. The PPP is synonymous with the Bhuttos, and after the untimely death of their mother, they have to don this mantle for the party’s cause,” he tried to rationalise the dynastic politics at play.
“It’s an association that not even President Zardari can challenge. A Bhutto addressing an election rally always creates an extra amount of energy among voters, which the party cannot afford to lose with elections round the corner,” he pointed out.
He added: “Since Bakhtawar, 22, doesn’t take much interest in politics, and Asifa, 19, is too young to address public rallies, the PPP is left with no choice but to field Bilawal in active politics. The sisters will be making appearances in the run-up to the general elections.”
Indeed, a dedicated group of party leaders is actively involved in grooming Bilawal, and brief him on party affairs regularly.
Their job is made easier by the fact that over the last year or so, Bilawal himself has started taking interest in politics.
Insiders told this scribe that the speech that Bilawal delivered on Tuesday to a group of students invited to the Presidency under the programme titled “Pakistan: Leaders of Tomorrow” had more thought put into it than realised by people.
“Do you really think it was just an off-the-cuff speech,” remarked the PPP source, “It was a 4,000 plus words speech that highlighted every single issue of the country both on the domestic and international level. This series of public interactions to selected students from universities all over the country is the launch of his political life.”Indeed, Bilawal talked about the country’s on-going fight against militancy, PPP’s so-called achievements over the last four years and his willingness to work with Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan, Jamaat-i-Islami, and any other political force willing to participate in the election.
And quite expectedly, he brought in his late mother Benazir Bhutto’s resolve and vision for the betterment of the country, and repeatedly drew parallels between his mother’s struggle for a liberal and educated Pakistan with Malala Yousafzai, a young girl shot by the Taliban for advocating girls education.
Another parliamentarian told Dawn said that familial links have deep roots in Pakistani politics and will stay for a long time to come which will not give new people a chance to come in and prove their mettle.
“Can the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz contest elections without the Sharif brothers as the party’s premier candidates, or can someone else besides Asfandyar Wali Khan lead the Awami National Party?” the PPP leader went on, “I can’t predict the future, how these political parties will play out 10 to 20 years down the road in the country, but for the moment, it is all about families and their iron fist on their respective parties.”
“These families do not want to share anything with people sitting around them,” he concluded.
Political parties in India and Pakistan need a figurehead preferably of a known dynasty that connects with the old and rural community.That is what Congress in India and the PPP politicians are doing.They use them as figure heads to dupe these people.Hoping when the party wins they can lord things over.
I would have preferred Fatima Bhutto on Bilawal. Bilawal is just another Zardari, reason for saying this is because he never spoke against his father even knowing he is the most greedy and corrupt person in Pakistan. I would vote for Imran Khan because he has leadership qualities and we haven’t tested him yet so give him a chance. ALLAH save Pakistan. Pakistan Zindabad.
Even his presence in high level official meetings, conferences and visits is controversial. It is absolutely unfair introductory promotion of a despot by using the medium of state machinary.
Time to wake up guys and get rid off family tradition and pick who can feel your pain. If we keep picking such people, we will never rise.
So wake up.
God Bless Pakistan
The reason for downfall of Pakistan is downfall of democracy and constitution, not that we elect weak politicians. Think before you comment.
It is not a question of whether he’s a Bhutto or not. I think the PPP and the country is in a sad state of affairs where a 24/25 year old is pushed forward as the next leader of the 5th most populous country on earth. What experience/qualifaction and on what merit is this based? Dynastic politics (Shariff’s Bhuto, Ghandi’s, etc) can only lead us to heading for the wall. What does this young man know about Pakistan when he’s spent more than half his life in the middle east and “stuydying”/Partying in England? And again, he’s just 25… Please, help stop this insanity.
PS: Fatima also lives in her own wonderland where here terrorist late father is a hero and very superficial views on what Pakistan needs in its current state…
Lets hope he can be his own man…………..looks difficult because of the ‘baggage’ he carries.
Baba don’t defy the law of nature- he can never be Bhutto. Only son of Murtuza (Z.A.B Junior) can stand upto crowed as true reprsentative of BHUTTO clan.
There is a young lad in the USA who is older than his brother ZAB Jr. Murtaza was once married to my school mate in London, circa 1975. I believe the authorities may know of this.
That chap has the right, if genetics is in play.
Murtaza Bhutto is expired, can U take him out alive than I will suport U. But Muslim history says Nawasa stands for Nanna. To day is Muharram 10, Are U Muslim. Why do U treat Bilawal differently than Hamza, Marium, Mamona, Monis and many others. Please hold one standard, be fair. Well try to oppose Bikawal by your vote and compete him. U just want to keep him out, it will not work. should wake up by now. Date: Sun, 25 Nov 2012 16:55:34 +0000 To: makkah2010@live.ca
Brothers, We can joke as much as we like about Bilawal but at the end of the day PPP Jiyalas will Elect him UNLESS All of us go out and actually VOTE in the elections!!!
whether butto or zardari, he is unaware of the current problems. still at infancy and i am sure that he has no capability to even run his party.. not to mention of the country…
Secondly the country need to get rid of these families as they have not delivered till now..
.. for God sake wake up at least now..
You can fool some people all the time and all the people some of the time but in Pakistan it is possible to fool ALL the people ALL the time. This is a prime example.
I believe young Zardari/Bhutto studied politics in the UK. He must be certain that the UK and Pakistan follow parliamentary form of a government where the head of the state has to be impartial, as he/she are the symbol of national unity. Has he ever heard or seen the Queen holding a political rally or asking any political leader to address or give a speech in Buckingham Palace.
The 4,000 worded speech in President’s House were not his words. Had been his own words then he would have thought of few words that “Presidency is not the right place”.
This speaks all.
May God send all of them to Mars or maybe pluto or some other place..
howcome a zardari can be a bhutto…
This party and its leaders are the worst that is currently happening to Pakistan.
Apple does not fall far rom the tree. Like father like son. His teacher is zardari. So thanks but no thanks.
how can current political parties bring democracy to the country when they don’t have democracy in their own parties? the current democracy is a mockery of democracy….
Wow. You are such a genius.
By changing your name to Bhutto does not make you one of them. They are Zardaris who do not deserve to lead the people of Pakistan. In my views true leader is Fatima Bhutto who has been suppressed by Zardaris.
true..! she belongs to the same Bhutto family but you know might is right..!
Same product with different packaging….
Not the same, but a cloned/ pirated version.
PPP leadership should nominate Fatima Bhutto as their leader NOT Bilawal Zardari.
Yes. Fatima Bhutto is the real heir of Bhutto Clan.
he is not a bhutto , is he ?
family controlled politics has to change. nothing good can come out of present rotten familty controlled political system. why Bilawal has to ride on our shoulders, why not some son of the soil who has worked him or her self up the political ledder. what is Bilawals qualification? he is rich and son of BB. has he ever ineracted with the people of Pakistan? Does he know how people make their living? Does he know how new jobs will be created? I think if a Bhutto has to take on party politics, then Fatima Bhutto is much better then him. Why cant she start her carrier from PPP; because the party is regarded as personal property.
Well this political legacy would cause more damages to the entire polictical system of the state which is already being ruined. No other citizen have the right to govern thier country as these family has a strong hold over all the country systems. How come a person realize the problem pertaining to the people who has been brought up abroad where the dynamics of the society are completely differed.
Why Bilawal Zardari is permitted to attend meetings with the heads of the states at G8 coferences Is he under oath as any other govt official. Has he signed the official secret act. There is no one to stop him?
Maybe Bilawal should learn some basics from the Indian dynasty…the Gandhis!!! Altho Rajiv & his children are children of Indira Gandhi, who was the daughter of Nehru, but they NEVER claimed to be Nehrus!!! Why, because, apparently they regard, respect & now who their father was!!! Trying to capitalize on the Bhutto name is pathetic!!!
He is a Zardari: being branded as a Bhutto, people won’t buy it.
You have hit the nail on its head. Bhutto was one and only Benazir and Bilawal is 50/50 Bhutto / Zardari. No chance.
BB was also benazir zardari with the same logic
true that is !
well said mate