Fatima denounces cousin Bilawal as chairman of party

A fresh vocal assault on Pakistan People’s Party newly appointed co-chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was led by his cousin Fatima Bhutto, who condemned the idea of PPP- that party must be directed by member of the family-as dangerous.

The 25-year old poet and journalist Fatima - niece of Benazir Bhutto and daughter of Benazir’s slain brother Murtaza Bhutto, who was died during his sister’s rule in 1996 in mysterious condition - is clever, audacious and savors the salty taste of Pakistani life.

Fatima denounced the People’s party of Pakistan desperate for cash-in on Bhutto’s blood in politics and hinted that she might be interested in politics, but asked not to see her a symbol of Bhutto’s clan.

Jemima khan, ex-wife of renowned cricketer and the founder of Tahreek-e-Indaf, political party Imran khan came in an open support of Fatima Bhutto comparing her tragic appeal to Benazir Bhutto and orphaned, like most Bhuttos, as a result of a political assassination of her father. She is also politicised and forthright as well as headstrong with deep reserves of charm and a sense of prerogative.

Jemima khan has pointed out that if Bilawal has only been appointed chairman of the party because of his blood relation to Bhutto and party leaders opinion that only Bhutto can provide unity and integrity within the party, then why not 25-year old Fatima Bhutto, who is more responsible and appropriate for the job than her cousin, who is just 19-year old. And, if everything is in name then Fatima need not to change her in order to inherit.

Moreover, unlike her cousin, Fatima brought up in Pakistan and a native orator; she is an established writer and political commentator with some ground experience.

“The real reason Fatima is my favourite is that she realises that a few good articles and a surname does not qualify her for leader,'' she added.

In his first press conference at London after his mother’s assassination, Bilawal Bhutto had strongly denied a journalist’s suggestion that the work handed down to him is just like “a piece of family furniture.”

Similar approach has been pointed out by Fatima that politics is not a family business, where child inherit the right to carry on the business founded by his father or forefather. But, unfortunately, “it’s become in a sense the family business, like an antique shop where it is just ‘so and so and sons’ and then grandsons and great grandsons. It gets handed down,” she said.

The idea that only Bhutto should command the party is a dangerous one. Neither it would benefit Pakistan nor the party that supposed to be run on democratic lines and it also would not benefit us as citizen if we think only about personalities and not about platforms, expressed the young Bhutto.

The undaunted young lady Bhutto has been critical to her aunt ever since her father, Murtaza Bhutto died during her sister’s rule in Pakistan in mysterious condition in 1996. She held her aunt Benazir “morally responsible” for his death. If she didn’t sign the death warrant then, who had the power to cover it up? She did, said Fatima indignantly.

She even did not show fear in criticizing Benazir’s return to Pakistan as calling her an American puppet and her Pakistan People’s Party as Pervez’s People’s Party.

In reply to a query whether she would join politics or not, she said, “If I get an opportunity to come in politics, I would not say no.” But not as a symbol for anyone, she added.