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Published 16 Apr, 2009 12:00am

Sanam lashes out at Ghinwa and Mumtaz Bhutto

LARKANA, April 15 Sanam Bhutto, in a rare press conference held at the Naudero House here on Wednesday, emphatically denied media reports that she had developed differences with her brother-in-law President Asif Ali Zardari, while Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's last remaining child also lashed out at PPP-SB leader Ghinwa Bhutto for allegedly grabbing her ancestral lands.

Sindh National Front chief Mumtaz Ali Bhutto also did not escape her wrath, as the soft-spoken but direct Ms Bhutto said he had no business raising a hue and cry over her sister Benazir's death.

Sanam Bhutto, accompanied by Sindh Information Minister Shazia Marri, chose to take questions straight off the bat, instead of making a statement.

“I've been coming here all my life. I've decided to live in self-imposed exile for whatever reasons,” Sanam Bhutto told the packed press conference when asked what the reason for her visit was. “I've got these lands, nothing else in Pakistan. I'm drawn here whether I like it or not. (They) remind me of my father and my lineage. I'm not here to take anything from anyone,” she added.

“My sister is dead. I only care about my sister,” she said starkly.

She told the media that as the manager of her lands had not been taking care of her property properly, she had decided to look into the matter herself. When the media insisted on her naming the people who, according to her, had taken over her family land, Sanam Bhutto named Ghinva Bhutto without hesitation.

When asked to comment on the political situation obtaining in Pakistan, she refused to comment. “I'm a private person. People here bring politics into everything. Everything is politicised.”

When asked if she kept the lines of communication open with her slain brother Murtaza's children, she said “they don't talk to me”.

Her strongest reaction was reserved for reports in the press that have surfaced about her alleged differences with Asif Zardari.

“You can't make up lies. I don't want to be involved in this muck. These are filthy, dirty people” trying to create differences between me and my brother-in-law, said Ms Bhutto.

Though refusing to comment on the political situation, she did let a comment slip through as her guard dropped for a second. “It's not the democratic governments that mess things up. It is the governments before them.”

Referring to Mumtaz Bhutto's repeated demands to bring Benazir Bhutto's killers to justice, Sanam Bhutto asked where the SNF chief was when her sister was suffering after ZAB's death.

“Where was he when my mother and sister were in Sihala Jail? He abused my sister, now he wants to use her.”

Shazia Marri said Sanam Bhutto held the press conference in order to prevent 'conspiracies' from springing up if unanswered questions remained.

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