At an emergency meeting of party's central executive committee (CEC) also named Asif Ali Zardari, as co-chairman to assist Bilawal Zardari called for a United Nations inquiry into the circumstances of Benazir assassination. "We have decided to go for elections," he said, appealing to Nawaz Sharif, who had announced a boycott, to rejoin a vote seen as a key step.
Bilawal Bhutto, a student at Britain's Oxford University, was named party chairman after a marathon meeting of party's CEC, but he is a political novice. It means the leadership is following the bloodline for a third generation, some four decades after it was founded by his grandfather Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, a former prime minister ousted and later hanged by the military. "The party's long and historic struggle for democracy will continue with a new vigour," Bilawal told reporters.
APP ADDS: Asif Zardari said according to the CEC decision the UN and the British Government would be approached to assist in the investigation to bring the real causes of assassination of PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto to the fore. He said we have no faith in the investigations to be carried out by the government commissions, judges and the police and their findings will not be acceptable to us. He said his son, appointed party's new chairman, today on his own decided to change his name and to be called "Bilawal Bhutto- Zardari".
Earlier Bilawal Bhutto Zardari read out the will of his late mother Benazir Bhutto. Makhdoom Mohammad Amin Fahim on the occasion said late Benazir Bhutto in her will had written that if she does not remain in the world Asif Zardari will be her successor and this was endorsed by the entire house.
However, Asif Zardari decided to make Bilawal as Chairman of the Party and the full house of CEC endorsed it in too. Highlighting other decisions of CEC's meeting, Asif Ali Zardari said he would assist as Co-Chairman to the party and its new Chairman.
He said Bilawal is capable enough to run the party's affairs effectively and is the right selection. Before announcing the CEC's decisions, Asif Zardari at the outset paid glowing tributes to Benazir Bhutto as a great Quaid (leader) and said she remained "Benazir" (exemplary) during her life and after death.
He said she underwent so many agonies during her life time and she struggled throughout the life but always remained steadfast. He said we feel pride that she knew about the dangers facing her but she always dashed against her enemies like mountains till she embraced "shahadat".
Asif Zardari said Benazir Bhutto had pin-pointed her enemies in her life time and had sent a letter to Mark Seigal, which is self-explanatory and which gives reflection of her far-reaching vision. He said while translating her vision, the Party has decided to participate in the general elections.
He thanked President PML-N Mian Nawaz Sharif who condoled the demise of Benazir Bhutto and announced to boycott the elections. "But I request Mian Nawaz Sharif not to boycott the elections and support us", he announced.
He said it in consonance with the ideology of late Z.A. Bhutto who had announced from the prison cell that PPP would take part in the elections. "We are ordinary workers of Benazir Bhutto and will remain so till our last breath", he declared.
He announced that he has decided to assist Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Amin Fahim and the party as Co-chairman, although Benazir wanted him (Zardari) to lead the party because she believed that he could take the party out of difficult situations and crisis. He said he has taken this decision to protect democratic Pakistan because late Ms Bhutto never spoke of Pakistan's break up.
He regretted that some emotionally charged workers out of sentiments raised slogans against Pakistan and said they don't need Pakistan, but "I say that we need Pakistan". On the occasion PPP workers raised slogans of "Benazir, the chain of four Provinces", "Bilawal Bhutto step-on forward we are with you".
Asif Zardari said the CEC decided to endorse the letter written to Mark Seigal as a dying declaration of Benazir and an international team be invited for investigation into her assassination. Asif Zardari said PPP will avenge the assassination of Benazir Bhutto by winning the elections in a democratic manner.He recalled that when Benazir Bhutto took oath as Prime Minister for the first time she, while returning with him, had said that she had taken revenge of her father and now when PPP will form its government, it will complete its mission of taking revenge of her death.
On the occasion Asif Zardari appealed to PPP workers to divert their rage and grief towards seeking votes for PPP and stamp "arrow" on the ballot papers. "Through her will BB has bounded us all and we have to obey her order that PPP will always work for democracy and for the cause of the poor". He told the people to bury the killer-league by taking part in the elections and carry the portrait of Benazir Bhutto to the Prime Minister House.
He declared that our war is against looters and the class which is in the government and not with Pakistan Army nor with Pakistan. He said the death of Benazir Bhutto has caused a great damage to Pakistan. Those in power want to break-up Pakistan but PPP is protecting Pakistan, no matter if we have to shed our blood for this cause.
On the occasion Asif Zardari paid tributes to all those who lost their lives in the bomb blast and described them as his "Punjabi brothers", who became his friends during his 8 years of internment.
Later replying to newsmen's questions, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said he will keep the mission of his mother alive after completing his studies while his father will keep looking after the party affairs till that time. Asif Zardari requested the media that questions should not be put to Bilawal because he is still in a tender age and queries be directed to him (Asif).
Asif Zardari told a questioner that he is not an aspirant for premiership "as Benazir Bhutto already knew that I am not running for the election and she stopped my candidacy."
To a question he hinted that Amin Fahim may be the PPP candidate for prime Minister, but said a final decision will rest with the party. He reiterated that PPP will take part in the elections despite being in 40 days' mourning.
Replying to a question he said if the elections were not held transparently and if these were rigged, the PPP will go into agitation from January 9 and will send a special message to the nation in this regard. "We are all combined, we all will fight, we will preserve the unity of Pakistan and keep the legacy left by Benazir Bhutto alive and follow her protocols." When asked whether he will show the will written by Benazir Bhutto, Asif Zardari said No, because it is family's personal property.
He said we need not show it to anyone. It was written in her own handwriting and party high command fully recognises her handwriting. When questioned as to why he stopped authorities from carrying out autopsy of Benazir Bhutto, he said that it is all non-sense and proved a futile exercise in the past. He said she was sister and mother of the nation and people knew what occurred to her.
"We do not feel the need to tell as to who are her killers. We know what kind of her wounds were," he stated. He told a questioner that PPP wants that Mian Nawaz Sharif should go for polls along with us and in this regard our Punjab PPP President Shah Mahmood Qureshi will contact him. He said Naudero will be the party's headquarter and he will carry out party election campaign from here.
Political commentator Najam Sethi meanwhile told AFP that Zardari would "run the show to keep the place warm" for Bilawal, like India's Sonia Gandhi has done for her son Rahul.