Larkana: Settling the succession issue three days after Benazir Bhutto's assassination, the PPP today appointed her 19-year-old son Bilawal to head the party and decided to take part in next month's general elections.

Bhutto's husband Asif Ali Zardari was named as co-chairman of the party. The decisions were taken at a crucial meeting of PPP's central executive committee held in anscestral home of the Bhuttos in Naudero, Larkana, in Sindh Province.

Bhutto's will written on October 16, two days before her return from exile, was read out at the meeting in which she had named Zardari as her political successor if some unfortunate thing happens to her.

However, Zardari passed on the mantle to Bilawal, a student of Oxford University, which was endorsed by the meeting.

Addressing a crowded press conference, Bilawal, flanked by Zardari and Fahim, said that he would continue the struggle to restore democracy in Pakistan with as much vigour as his mother desired.

Now that he was the leader, PPP's "long and historic struggle for democracy will continue with new vigour", Bilawal said adding, "my mother always said that democracy is the best revenge".

Bilawal also said as he was pursuing his studies, his father would be looking after the party affairs in his absence. Once he finishes his studies, he would take full control of the party.

Zardari also announced that Makhdoom Amin Fahim, a close confidante of Bhutto and vice chairman of the party, will be the PPP's prime ministerial candidate in the elections.

This, he said, was mentioned by Bhutto in her will.

About Bilawal, who was using Bhutto as his surname, Zardari said his son would henceforth be called as Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and carry forward the political legacy of the slain leader.

Rejecting the Pakistan government's version about how Benazir Bhutto was killed, he demanded an international inquiry under UN supervision as was done in the case of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri who was assassinated a few years ago.

"We demand a Hariri Commission-style investigation.... We are writing to the United Nations for an interational probe into her martyrdom", Zardari said.

He maintained that Benazir Bhutto had a bullet wound in her head and this was corroborated by his sister, who is a doctor.

On the government's claim that Benazir Bhutto's head was hit by the lever of the sun roof of her vehicle, Zardari said perhaps they have not examined the car which has a rubber cover on the roof from inside.

Source : PTI