بناذير ... والشر يستطير

Quote: Benazir’s son, husband to be co-leaders of party NAUDERO, Pakistan, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Bilawal, the19-year-old son of assassinated Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, was on Sunday appointed chairman of her Pakistan People's Party along with his father, party officials said. “It has been decided that Bilawal will be the chairman and Mr (Asif Ali) Zardari will be co-chairman,” one of the party officials said in the southern town of Naudero, where top party officials were meeting. The party was also overwhelmingly in favour of taking part in a Jan. 8 general election but had yet to reach a formal decision t, said the party officials, who declined to be identified. PPP also set up a committee to urge the United Nations to demand that the Pakistani government allow an independent inquiry into Bhutto's killing, one of the officials said. (Posted @ 18:36 PST) ______________________________ Benazir succession meeting starts amid angry scenes NAUDERO, Pakistan, Dec 30 (AFP) - Thousands of mourners chanted anti-government slogans at the family home of slain Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto Sunday as the central executive committee of the PPP began meeting to choose her successor and decide whether to contest elections on January 8 “The meeting has started,” a senior party official said adding that party vice president Makhdoom Amin Fahim was chairing the session. Party officials said 19-year-old Bilawal was attending the meeting “at special invitation” while Asif Ali Zardari and Bhutto's younger sister Sanam were present as observers. As the mob outside beat their chests in grief, Zardari told them: “Benazir Bhutto sacrificed her life for Pakistan's survival and democracy. We will continue Bhutto's mission.” ”The Pakistan People's Party will remain intact as the leading political force in the country,” he said, before going inside for the meeting. The succession issue remains uncertain as one party official said Bilawal was not keen to inherit the mantle of the party because of his age. He is still a student at Oxford University. But many in the crowd who had massed on the third and final official day of mourning for Benazir Bhutto began chanting for her sister Sanam, 51, to take the reins of the party, witnesses said. Meeting chairman Amin Fahim has also been mooted as a possible candidate. Meanwhile in Karachi, dozens of people placed garlanded pictures of Benazir Bhutto outside her Bilawal House, where special arrangements were made for Quran Khwani and Fateha. (Posted @ 16:10 PST)