Sanam Bhutto says Bilawal can steer Pakistan on road to progress

LONDON: Former prime minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto's only surviving sibling Sanam Bhutto has thrown her weight behind her nephew, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

At an event here held here at the Willesden Green Pakistan Community Centre to celebrate Benazir Bhutto’s birthday, Sanam Bhutto joined London-based leaders of the PPP and offered full support to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Benazir Bhutto's younger sister Sanam Bhutto urged voters to vote for her nephew in the upcoming elections.

"You must vote for Bilawal if you want Pakistan to progress in the right direction," Sanam Bhutto said, adding that Bilawal offered hope and was the right choice to lead Pakistan and to put the country in the right direction.

Sanam Bhutto expressed her well-wishes for Begum Kulsoom Nawaz and prayed that she could get well soon. The event was also attended by former federal minister Dr Asim Hussain, who is in London for the cancer treatment of his wife Zareen.

Separately, on the weekend, Sanam Bhutto’s daughter Azadeh Hussain tied the knot in a private ceremony here. The event was private but some pictures and videos were released by a few selected guests.

Bilawal and sisters Aseefa and Bakhtawar arrived especially from Pakistan to be at the wedding. Tariq Islam, Benazir’s cousin, six Sindhi families, Wajid Shamsul Hasan and Benazir’s close friend Victoria Schofield also attended the wedding. A video of the wedding ceremony surfaced on social media featuring Aseefa, Bakhtawar and Bilawal.

Bilawal arrived in London on Friday, a day after Nawaz Sharif landed in London and learnt that Begum Kulsoom Nawaz had suffered a cardiac arrest. The wedding took place on Saturday and it was hoped that Bilawal Bhutto will pay a visit to the hospital but he sent his best wishes on social media and didn’t visit the hospital.

“Bilawal Bhutto Zardari wanted to visit the hospital in person. He discussed the idea with Asif Ali Zardari but couldn’t get a go ahead,” said a trusted PPP source adding, “Bilawal couldn’t get the security clearance for the visit”.