Re: Bush Administration Pushing Elections in Pakistan Following Bhutto Assassination.
‘Benazir’s desire to contest polls should be respected’
NAUDERO: Benazir Bhutto’s husband Asif Zardari said on Saturday that Benazir’s desire to contest the election to rid the country of dictatorship should be honoured. He was talking to leaders of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and other component parties of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) and the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) here at Bhutto house, Online reported. However, he said the final decision to take part in the elections would be taken in the PPP meeting on Sunday (today). The informal meeting was attended by Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Yousaf Raza Gillani, the PML-N’s Nawaz Sharif, Raja Zafarul Haq, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and Khawaja Asif, the APDM’s Mehmood Khan Achakzai and the ANP’s Ghulam Ahmad Bilur. Addressing Nawaz Sharif, Zardari said the decision to participate in the elections should be unanimous. Nawaz agreed.
Benazir’s note: In an interview to BBC radio on Saturday, Zardari said Benazir had left instructions about the future of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to be read in the event of her death, which would be made public on Sunday, AFP reported. Zardari said that their son would read out the message from Benazir. He also revealed that his wife had made detailed plans for her burial, including changing the location of the plot from his family’s ancestral tomb to her family’s mausoleum following another recent suicide bomb attack. “She has left a message for the party and she has left a will, so we shall be doing that tomorrow (Sunday) in a meeting,” he said. Asked if he would succeed her as party leader, Zardari said: “It depends on the party and depends on the (Benazir’s) will.”
No emotional decision: Meanwhile, PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim told BBC Urdu that the central executive committee of the party would not take a decision about participation in the January 8 elections emotionally or in haste, Online reported. “We will take a decision after a sincere and lengthy deliberation,” he said. He said the PPP’s senior leadership would review the government’s offer that the investigation into Benazir Bhutto’s assassination could be carried out with any nominated judge of the party. agencies
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\12\30\story_30-12-2007_pg1_1