Pakistan president to address political rally

[August 07, 2010]  LONDON (AP) -- Benazir Bhutto's son opened a London donation point Saturday for victims of Pakistan's deadly floods -- a public appearance that came amid criticism that his father, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari, was in Britain when he should have been dealing with the one of worst disasters in his country in decades.

Pakistani officials estimate that as many as 13 million people have been affected in the floods and some 1,500 have died. More rain is expected in the coming days as the bloated Kabul River surged into Pakistan's northwest.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Zardari defended his 5-day trip to Britain, saying Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani had been dealing with the situation. Prior to his British visit, Zardari was in France where he visited a family chateau and met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Zardari, who did not join his son at Pakistan's High Commission in London, was to address a political rally of his Pakistan People's Party in Birmingham later in the day before traveling to Syria. Nearly 10,000 people members of the party live in Europe, most of them in Britain.

Many had speculated that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari -- the son of Zardari and slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto -- would address the rally and announce his intentions to formally enter Pakistani politics. The 21-year-old recently graduated from Oxford with a degree in history and politics, and his father said it was only a matter of time before his son carried on the family's political dynasty.

But Bhutto Zardari, who was educated mostly abroad and shares his mother's striking good looks, said he would consider getting a law degree before following in his mother's footsteps. Bhutto was assassinated at a political rally in late 2007. Her father and PPP founder was hanged in 1979.

He would not launch his political career "until I complete my education, as I promised my mother," he said, adding that he would raise money for flood victims in Britain and had no plans to travel to Pakistan soon. He accepted donations Saturday at the High Commission.

Appearing defensive when faced with a volley of questions about criticism of his father's trip, Bhutto Zardari said people should leave politics out of the picture and accept that Zardari is doing his part raising funds overseas.

"This is not a time to play politics. We need to do what is necessary to help our brothers and sisters in Pakistan," he told reporters. "My father's doing all that he can to aid the people of Pakistan. His personal presence in Pakistan could not have done there what he did here."

Zardari had raised tens of millions of euros for flood victims during his trip to France and Britain, he added.

Analysts predict Zardari's PPP -- which his son currently chairs -- will suffer during the next national elections in 2013 because of Zardari's low approval ratings and the severe challenges currently facing the country.

Zardari traveled to Britain just days after British Prime Minister David Cameron accused Pakistan of exporting terror. The remarks caused a diplomatic row, in part because they were made during Cameron's visit to India, Pakistan's nuclear rival.

The Pakistani president rejected the criticism, saying that it was terrorists who killed his wife and who were terrorizing his country. Some 2,500 Pakistani security officials have been killed in battles with militants over the years, and many more civilians have been killed in attacks. On Saturday, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing of eight foreign aid workers in neighboring Afghanistan.

Pakistan is one of Britain's most important allies in fighting terrorism. Nearly 1 million people of Pakistani origin live in Britain, and Pakistani intelligence has been crucial in several terror investigations, including the 2005 suicide attacks that killed 52 London commuters and a 2006 trans-Atlantic airliner plot. The ringleader of the 2005 suicide bombings in London and several others reportedly received terror training in Pakistan.

Zardari has headed a coalition government since unseating Pakistan's Gen. Pervez Musharraf. The ex-military leader was in power-sharing talks with Bhutto shortly before her assassination at a political rally in December 2007.

[Associated Press; By PAISLEY DODDS]

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