Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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December 30, 2007

Bhutto's Party Chooses Her Son, Husband as New Party Leaders
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1ABF596:A6F02AD83191E160AB8DF9B7C79E81FAB3350E090FE6A6E8& It also named her
husband, Asif Ali Zardari, as co-chairman with responsibility for
running the party while Bilawal continues his education





Asif Ali Zardari, third from left at a table, husband of Mrs. Bhutto
attends party meeting at Bhutto's residence in Naudero, near Larkana,
Pakistan, 30 Dec 2007

The son of assassinated Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has
been chosen to succeed her as head of her opposition party.

The Pakistan People's Party appointed 19-year old Bilawal Bhutto as
its new chairman Sunday. It also named her husband, Asif Ali Zardari,
as co-chairman with responsibility for running the party while Bilawal
continues his education.

The party also announced it will participate in parliamentary
elections scheduled for January eighth and urged Pakistan's other main
opposition leader, Nawaz Sharif, to do the same.  Sharif's party
accepted the request and scrapped its plan to boycott the polls.

A senior official with Pakistan's ruling party, the Pakistan Muslim
League, said earlier in the day the elections may be delayed by 12
weeks. Rioting sparked by Bhutto's assassination on Thursday has
killed at least 44 people.

The violence appeared to ease today as Pakistan approached the end of
a three-day period of national mourning. Some food markets and other
businesses reopened in Karachi and more were expected to do the same
Monday.

Pakistan's railway minister Tariq Mansoor told the French news agency
Sunday that train services from Karachi to northern cities such as
Islamabad and Lahore will resume Monday evening.

Meanwhile, Indian railway officials said the Samjhauta ("Friendship")
Express service from New Delhi to Lahore would restart Sunday. India
had suspended the service for security reasons, fearing a spill over
of violence triggered by the assassination.

In one violent incident today, two suicide bombers blew themselves up
near the house of a senior ruling party official Ijazul Haq in eastern
Pakistan. There were no other casualties.

After a PPP meeting today in the southern Pakistani town of Naudero,
Bilawal Bhutto vowed to avenge his mother's killing by continuing her
struggle for democracy. His father called for a United Nations
investigation of the assassination.

Pakistan's Election Commission is due to hold an emergency meeting
Monday to decide when the national vote will take place.



Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP.




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