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Shy & quiet student Bilawal reluctantly thrust into Pakistan's toxic politics
NAUDERO, Jan 01: All his life he was known as Bilawal Zardari, after his father. But
yesterday he became Bilawal Bhutto, for the first time assuming his mother's
surname, her title as chairman of the Pakistan Peopleís Party and his place in
the family's storied political dynasty.
"He didn't want to do it. He
wanted to continue his studies," said Ali Jafri, an uncle whose task it was to
"prepare" the teen for the role. Ultimately there was little choice. The
untested Oxford student accepted the job with a short speech in which he urged
the party to work "for the poor, downtrodden people of Pakistan," according to
Zulfikar Ali Mirza, a friend who was present.
He also urged those present
to "run the party democratically," an ironic touch given that his mother was
"chairperson for life" and he himself was selected without a vote.Wajid Hasan, a
spokesman for the family in London, confirmed Bilawal's role in the party will
be symbolic, while he completes his studies. "He is for now a figurehead of [the
PPP]."
But if he is to live up to his mother's legacy, this 19-year-old
described as shy, introverted and studious will have to develop the charisma,
instincts and ruthlessness necessary to survive in the cut-throat world of
Pakistani politics.
It's a world Bilawal was literally born into. In
1988, when then military dictator General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq discovered that
Benazir Bhutto, opposition leader at the time, was pregnant with her first
child, he called elections.
"He and his top army men believed a pregnant
woman could not campaign," Ms. Bhutto wrote in her autobiography, Daughter of
the East. "They were wrong. I could and I did." She gave birth to Bilawal during
the campaign, and a month later was elected prime minister for the first
time.
Just as Ms. Bhutto's father had carefully groomed her to take his
place - he took her to meetings with world leaders when she was still a teenager
- she, in turn, brought Bilawal up for the family tradition.
"He was
learning everything from [Ms. Bhutto] about politics and about Pakistan," said
Mr. Jafri, the uncle. "He was a very, very shy boy. But with tons of effort,
we've groomed him very well."
"He is a quiet, considered person," Mr.
Hasan said. "He weighs the use of his words carefully." Yesterday, he spoke only
in English in an accent that sounded British, not Pakistani. He is thought to
speak little or no Urdu, Pakistan's national language. With his mother in exile
for most of his life, and his father in jail for eight years, he grew up mostly
in Dubai, where he attended prestigious schools and earned top
grades.
"[Bilawal] has faced the most adverse circumstances a young man
can face," Mr. Hassan said. "He was very young when his father was sent to
prison, and so they were separated for long periods of time. His mother was also
travelling a lot. He has had to grow up very quickly. Though he is only 19, for
all practical purposes he is closer to 25 or 30."
In a 2004 interview at
age 16, he complained about what he perceived as the injustice of his father's
incarceration.
"I have gone through lots of things and he [Mr. Zardari]
wasn't there. At the time when we needed him he was taken away. We were denied a
normal life," he said at the time. He also said he was undecided about entering
the family business. "We will see, I don't know. I would like to help the people
of Pakistan, so I will decide when I finish my studies. ... I can either enter
politics, or I can enter another career that would benefit the
people."
In Dubai, relatives described Bilawal as an intensely private
person who led a very sheltered life. He rarely socialized outside his family
circle or ventured outside the Bhutto's walled compound. When the family
entertained, Bilawal was overshadowed by his more extroverted younger
sisters.
"Bilawal was never a sporty guy. He was always into magazines,
books and history," Mr. Jafri says. Nonetheless, he was reported to be a keen
swimmer, horseman and squash player who earned a black belt in tae kwon do and
shared his father's love of polo.
Bilawal seems to be coming out of his
shell at Oxford. Fellow students describe him as popular and sociable. They say
he does not broadcast his family connections and appears to live the life of any
other first-year student.
But one distraction that Bilawal has, so far,
apparently avoided is a girlfriend. "His mother wouldn't allow it," Mr. Jafri
said. He recently joined the famous Oxford Union, a debating society that is the
foremost student organization at the university. It was once led by his mother,
when she used to race around the university in a brightly coloured sports
car.
"He was a familiar face at the Union," said Luke Tryl, who was
president last term. "He's very charismatic and engaging; he speaks confidently
and eloquently. He seems very worldly and aware. He's chatty, he is willing to
speak to lots of different people and he's good at making friends with new
people. He never said who his family were. I only found out some time after I
met him." The News
Bilawal is target now: Lal Masjid cleric
LAHORE: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
is on the hit-list of radicals just days after the death of former premier
Benazir Bhutto, according to the website of the British newspaper the Sun. The
website quoted Taliban cleric Maulana Mohavya Irshad as saying, "Bilawal is a
target now".
Speaking at Lal Masjid, the 24-year-old cleric told the
newspaper, "I don't know much about Bilawal. I only know he is a liberal person
which is a deviation from Islam. True Muslims will not allow him to go against
Islam." "These true Muslims will be horrified to see an image of Bilawal dressed
as the devil while standing besides a pretty girl at a decadent party at Oxford
University," he said. Daily Times
Facebook disables Bilawal profiles, says not genuine
LONDON: Popular Internet site Facebook on Thursday
said two purported profiles of slain Pakistan politician Benazir Bhutto's son
Bilawal were not authentic, and that the company had taken them down.
Two
officials from Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, which the 19-year-old Bilawal
took over on Sunday three days after his mother's assassination, said the
profiles were a hoax.
Facebook, a social networking site that claims
worldwide membership, did not specify how it had determined the profiles were
bogus but said a "range of criteria" are used in making such decisions.
"Facebook has disabled two profiles purporting to be Bilawal Bhutto after an
investigation found they were not authentic and violated the site's Terms of
Use," the company said in a statement.
"Facebook examines a range of
criteria to determine whether a profile is authentic, including reports from
users, profile content, the e-mail associated with an account, length of time
the account has been open and network affiliations," it said. The profiles
purported to carry personal statements from Bilawal Bhutto, an Oxford
undergraduate. "It is not his posting, it is not by him, it is someone else who
has done it," said Sherry Rehman, the top spokesperson for Bhutto's party. "It
is a hoax." Qaim Ali Shah, a member of the party's central executive committee,
said: "This page is fake." The News
Bilawal's security to cost UK £1m annually
LONDON: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's security while
studying at the prestigious Oxford University could cost the country's taxpayers
a million pounds annually, Online reported.
Your Comments
"hi,Bilawal,ur so good looking n great personality Best of luck"
Name: hefza
City, Country: Karachi, Pakistan
"I just can say that, Best of luck! Inshallah you will do something different, which is good for everybody , either poor or rich.. just believe in justice! :)"
Name: Akram
Email: dailygupshup@hotmail.com
City, Country: Karachi, Pakistan
"SALAM! 1ST OF ALL,UR MOTHER WAZ GR8 POLITICIANZ,AND ONE OF MY FAV POLITICIAN FROM THE CHILDHOODI WISH U BST OF LUCK IN EACH N EVERY MOMNT OF LIFE,MY PRAYRZ R ALWYZ WD U,GOD BLESSU,N 1 IM UR BIGEST FAN N I KNW ILL MEET WITHU BYE UR BST FAN IN THE WORLD FARWA"
Name: ume-farwa
City, Country: Pakistan
"you never lived in pakistan ,you never knew our country well enough i condemn ur act of taking the charge of PPP u better have taken charge after completing ur studies abroad."
Name: Ushna
City, Country: karachi, Pakistan
"It was quite impractical for Mr.Zardari for putting forward his only son as the chairperson of Peoples Party as everyone of us is aware he has no political experience whatsoever..coming to Mr.Zardaris role its apparent he will be running the party..putting Bilawal as the chairperson doesnt put him in such power as in the end no matter what it would be Zardaris party from now on..the Bhutto reign has unfortunately met a tragic end."
Name: Zahra
City, Country: karachi, Pakistan
"Balawal looks like a great leader of future, as we have studied about it in upper sectionl. I thinik he is great to command the ppp. But he is a student."
Name: usman
Email: usmanrafaqat@yahoo.com
City, Country: Raja jang, Pakistan
"Hi,,i think u r not good for pakistan,,u havent nowledege about us..ur father will teach u u msut be learn with ur heart,,we are pakistan and we are genuis."
Name: irfan umrani
Email: zhid555@yahoo.com
City, Country: larkana, Pakistan
"SALAM HOPE U WILL BE FINE 1ST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO CONVAY MY CANDOLE FOR THE TRAGEDIC DEATH OF OUR GREAT LEADER AS WELL AS UR LOVING MOTHER.MR BBZ THIS IS GOOD THAT U R STUDYING ABROAD AND FULLY TRYING TO POLISH URSELF FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL UMMA PAKISTANIS AS WELL AS FOR URSELF BUT LISTEN BBZ ONLY THIS IS NOT GOOD THAT U R STUDYING THOUSAND MILES FAR FROM PAKISTANI,s U SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE CULTURE LIVING STANDARD AND THE HEARTS OF UR PEOPLE SO U MUST HAVE TIME TO COMES HERE AND SPEND UR VACATIONS WITH PAKISTANIS ALTHOUGH U R NOT A PRIME MINISTER.U SHOULD KNOW THE VALUES THAT HOW TO LEAD BY THE HEARTS OF PEOPLE.ALL THE YOUNGSTERS EXPECT GOOD FROM U.U WILL NEVER BE LIKE THE PREVIOUS POLITICIANS.U SHOULD KNOW THE VALUES OF OUR CULTURE CIVILIZATION AND LIFE STYLE.WISH U THE BEST OF LUCK."
Name: MIAN UMAIR SHAH
Email: zalmyshah2008@yahoo.com
City, Country: PESHAWAR, Pakistan
"Hi, Bilawal i just want to say that best of luck for your future life and i think you have the brigth future.so just go on and enjoy your life and rock your life,bye. best regards, from, sugal."
Name: sugal zia
Email: sugalzia@hotmail.com
City, Country: karachi, Pakistan
"Bilawal is the best in all over the world donot say any comment against him."
Name: zainy
City, Country: mansehra, Pakistan
"hey Bilawal i just think you are good for pakistan. You are so intelligent and genious boy you keep effort and inshaAllah you will be our primeminister.from hafsa"
Name: HAfsa
City, Country: Mianwali, Pakistan
"Bilawal, First of all as a Pakistani I want to extend my condolences to you. It's extremely tragic what has happened. Your situation is very tough and demanding. As you hardly have any association or emotional attachment with Pakistan, I doubt that you will ever want to do anything for this country and its people. It is also very clear that your father has decided to use you as a "political mascot" for his own gains. I hope that all your education in the worlds most prestigious educational institutes will give you vision, courage and sense to understand the gravity of the situation. Your family has suffered tremendously partially due to unstable democratic - military relations, religious extremism and partially due to wrong policies and questionable credibility of your grandfather Z.A. Bhutto and your mother Benazir Bhutto. As far as your mother is concerned, she had a deep seated hatred for Pakistan and especially Pakistan Army. Your father has always used your mother's disturbed emotional state to loot and plunder Pakistan and its people. Like I said before, Pakistan has not been kind to you and your family and the same tragic fate has fallen over you. It is up to you to break this chain of revenge and "vindictivism". Pakistan has nothing left to offer you and you have enough so you need not ask anything from Pakistan. If you forgive Pakistan and build you future in some other country which is more sympathetic to you, it would be beneficial for you and Pakistan. I hope my words have not hurt your feelings too much and that you will not let others pull you in different and wrong directions. I hope you not change your surname merely to become a political party chairperson. You are young and have a choice. so choose wisely!
"
Name: Ahsan Waheed
Email: pakistanpal@gmail.com
City, Country: Karachi, Pakistan
"salam h r u and urs sistres and ur grandmother?howz study going on?ur the son of the brave human n lady so be brave we r with u ok all pakistani with u so plz be brave n strong ok i also want your email id plz send it ok n take care n prayer for pakistan n hope this time ppp will be win the ellection ok ALLAHAFIZ TAKECARE JEYE BHUTTO "
Name: sahar
City, Country: hyderabad, Pakistan
"Hi Bilawal... oh my god i cant belive i am actully writting to you... Bilawal i feel your pain... the same exact thing happened to me when i was only seven years old and my older brother Asad Passed away with a car accident.... i still remeber that so i thought that if i became your friend i can share my feelings with you too. one thing is Bilawal u r really brave... and really smart and intallegent... god bless you.. if u ever read this can u please e-mail me on hotmail.. my id is Babycheaks_91@hotmail.com... i really want to find your e-mail address but i cant find it anywhere. but i am still working hard to find it.. by the way my name is hina.. i live in canada and i am sixteen years old.. inshallah u will be the best prime minister of pakistan just like your beautiful mother alwyas was... bye.. "
Name: Hina
Email: Babycheaks_91@hotmail.com
City, Country: Mississauga Canada
"mr balawal i wish you would be more stern over principles like ur grandfather ! all the best. "
Name: dr azhar mukhtar
Email: azhar1star@hotmail.com
City, Country: shorkot city, Pakistan
"The great leader of Pakistan Mohtarma Banzir Bhutto D/o of east now she is not present here we will always feels her soul amongst us with the grace of Allah we will complete her mission whatever her thoughts about the rights of poor peoples of Pakistan developing of the Pakistan and fight against the for impreliasm of Pakistan. "
Name: Wazir Ali & Jahanigr Bukhari
Email: jbukhari110@yahoo.com
City, Country: Larkana, Pakistan
"hi bilawal this is shafiqa from qta. i like u very much and i hope u will b the best prime minister of pakistan.no matter wat people say about u and write about u, just carry on with ur studies and make urs and ur mothers dream come true. i can feel ur pain coz my mother was also a victim of some ruthless person. may ALLAH bless u and make u a trustworthy person as the future of our country lies in the hands of a youngster like u. u r the pioneer of ur age fellows like me. i share same date and year of birth with u. i like u very much and i believe in u with all my heart. i hope u will fortify our beloved country pakistan.the people are writing very wrong things abt u in order to distraught u. the situation of pakistan is very intricate these days inshallah all will b alright.the pictures of urs shown on net r facade i dont believe them.best of luck my sweet little sweetheart. "
Name: shafiqa
Email: shafiqasan@yahoo.com
City, Country: quetta, Pakistan
"hi hru.wana to BEST OF LUCK 4 ur future life.v just LOVE un cannot hear anything against u.lov ya,mmmmmmmmmmmmmmuahh. "
Name: amber
Email: ambertila@hotmail.com
City, Country: riyadh,saudi arabia
"Well it was the biggest shock for me that Benazir Bhutto died in a tragic bomb blast.Such a talented politician was now gone.I really wanted PPP to win the elections.Pakistan has always been in a problem now after the elections the separations of ways in PPP and PML-N.I think bilawal should get to know about the problems of the poor in Pakistan. We should unite and have peace if there is a way for the return of Pakistan as a peace and powerful country Musharaf,Zardari,Nawaz Sharif,Shujat hussian should unite.But even i m saying it i know it is impossible there are quarells people dont leave.Murder is not the way to establish peace.WE SHOULD UNITE. "
Name: Farhan
Email: dranzer_19@hotmail.com
City, Country: Pakistan
"hi bilwal....iam big fan of urs.....u r really very very cute....... ican feel ur pain about ur mothers death n i just wanna say u that pakis can never forget the efforts of bhutto family for pakistan.....i really like u very very much n want ur e-mail id but i cannot find it any where.......if u read my msg the plz plz reply me . "
Name: haiqa
Email: cute_haiqa17@yahoo.com
City, Country: sialkot, Pakistan
"Hi Bilawal I hope you are fine,This is your Govt Plz do something for Poors,I am ordinary citizen.There is no food,becoz every thing is very expensive how poors can survive.plz think of poors.MAY GOD BE WITH YOU."
Name: Sarah
Email: sarahpeter1982@gmail.com
City, Country: Karachi, Pakistan
"Assalam o Allakum Bilawal Sahab... Please get back to me on my email address. would like to tell you some very important things. Regards, Khalid."
Name: Khalid
Email: khalidmehmoodawan@gmail.com
City, Country: Pakistan
"hi bilawal i dont know wht the future holdsbut i hope its just good 4 u as ur 20th birthdays this sunday i wish u many happy returns of the day and hope that allah bleses u with his blessings and powers HAPPY BIRTHDAY... plzzz do reply if possible thnxs your sincerley anam sawera hakim."
Name: anam sawera hakim
Email: love_is_life__KA__@hotmail.com
City, Country: manchester. england
"hi! although you are an impressively talented guy, but u dont seem to be a good choice for pakistan as u cannot understand the problems the people are facing.......you have always spent a privileged life, though you were not quite fortunate in ur family matters, but u can hardly feel the pain pakistanis are suffering from. anyway, best of luck for ur future. and happy birthday! "
Name: azka
Email: azka_irfan1@yahoo.com
City, Country: lahore, pakistan
"hi bilawal i apriciate 2 u best of luck & plzzzzz contect wid me thanx (im waiting 4 u )"
Name: crance
Email: sweety_shweety@yahoo.com
City, Country: larkana , pakistan
"i know that u have no time to read these all coments but may be u take a look on this cooment,i hope.bydway sir me and my faimly is in ppp since the foundation of party and also in the election of 2008 my cozn got inguries in sheling in jamshoro district,bydway sir we have given somany sacrifices for the party and we are preapre for giving any type of sacrifices for our party because once muhtarma and bhutto sahib said that this is the party of poor people of pakistan,in the last i will requset you,that if u ahve time then please mail me on my email adrees wich is given here. Geay Bhutto Geay Muhtarma Benazir Bhutto Geay Awam. "
Name: Imtiaz Ali
Email: sweet_wish@yahoo.com
City, Country: dadu sindh, pakistan
"Mr. Bilawal Bhutto, im Abdul Waris Bhutto from Larkana im also related with royal family of larkana and every MNA MPA of District Larkana is known best to me. i have a mohtarmas real will which i want to brief you. i hope u will locate me @ my mail waris_bhutto@yahoo.com take care b/c u were loving to ur mom. "
Name: Waris
Email: waris_bhutto@yahoo.com
City, Country: Larkana, pakistan
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