How to read the news, Part 2 : Bhutto's son: Democracy is revenge

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the son of the assassinated Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto, said Tuesday that he fully intended to take on a political role in his homeland but only after he has completed his studies at Oxford University.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has vowed to continue his family's involvement in Pakistani politics.

The 19-year-old gave his first full news conference since taking on the role of party chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), the party his mother led until her death two weeks ago.

Zardari said he was asked to take on the role because the party felt it was important to keep a link with his mother "through the bloodline."

This is not democracy. The party [ who's the party? 1-2 leaders? please explain, ] decided he should lead? The party is suppose to represent the people, not represent it's own best chances of getting into power. So let the people vote who should lead. This is a joke.

"I was called on and I stepped up and I did what I had to do," Zardari told an audience of reporters in central London.

Called on by whom? Perhaps in your own mind. And now once you have power will you wish to extract revenge for your mother? Can you act in the best interests of the country and not with tainted emotions from your mothers violent death? Has this even been discussed?

He paid tribute to his "courageous" mother. "We have lost our best hope but not our only hope," he said.

He said his mother's death had made him more "resilient."

Zardari will take no part in upcoming elections which will be contested by his father and Bhutto's widower Asif Ali Zardari.
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He should, or rather his party should take part in the elections, they have the responiblitty to do so. Hold quick party elections and then move on. If not, then this party is for the Bhutto's only. It's members be dammed.

Before a packed audience, the young student looked composed but admitted he was nervous as he asked members of the press to respect his privacy during his upcoming studies.

Zardari is studying history at Christ Church College and has three more years of his course to run.

Asked if he was afraid for his own safety in the wake of his mother's assassination, he said: "I fear for my privacy."

He said the best solution to tackling extremism was to end what he called the "dictatorship" rule of incumbent Pakistani leader Pervez Musharraf.

In charge in Pakistan since 1999, Musharraf has been criticized by the PPP for not doing enough to safeguard Bhutto, who died after her convoy was attacked by a gunman and suicide bomb blast when she was campaigning in the northern city of Rawalpindi.

Zardari said "dictatorship feeds extremism" and went on to accuse the United States of "supporting dictators."

Retoric at best. He may not like Musharraf, but the man has done what was asked of him to get the elections going. And Bhutto should be reminded his Grandfather was the one kicked out of politics for being corrupt. How can they replace a true dictator in elections? Huh?

Zardari, who has lived most of his life in Dubai and Britain following his mother's exile from Pakistan, denied suggestions that he would not be able relate to the Pakistani people.

He is the third generation of his family to assume a leading role in the PPP -- the party was set up by his grandfather Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan's first elected prime minister.

Asked if he felt it was inconsistent with democracy to continue a dynasty, he said it was up to the Pakistani voters to decide. Elections are scheduled to take place on February 18.

I don't understand this, above he said he had no plans to do anything, here he mentions the elections. Listen little Bhutto, hold party elections and then join in the Feb 18th coutry elections and do your mother and democracy proud. Otherwise your just a Dynasty/Dictator of your own party hoping to manipulate the current leader out of his power.

Zardari made his first public appearance before the world only three days after his mother's death when he was announced as the new chair of the Pakistan's People's Party.
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During that appearance he spoke only briefly raising his voice as he invoked the words of his mother.

Nice, how touching. But once again not democracy. And to think the title of the article says that revenege would be getting democracy in Pakistan. CNN London must not understand what that is, or just blankets the populace with mindspeak all day.