Newly appointed Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman and husband of assassinated former premier Benazir Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari said on Sunday that the PPP wants to contest the general elections on January 8.In a press conference in Naudero, he called on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif not to boycott the polls. “We are thankful to the PML-N for announcing to boycott the elections but we ask them to end the boycott and contest the elections, so as not to leave the field open for the PML-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q),” Zardari said.
The decision to participate in the polls was made earlier in a closed-door meeting of the party’s central executive committee (CEC). Party officials told reporters that Benazir’s 19-year-old son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, had been appointed the new PPP chairman. “It has been decided that Bilawal will be the chairman and Mr Zardari will be co-chairman,” a party official said.
Successor in will: PPP Vice Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim said Benazir had named Zardari as her successor in her will, adding that since Zardari had excused himself, Bilawal was named chairman following the partyÂ’s CEC meeting.