Benazir's sister rejects plea

Sanam Bhutto, the youngest sibling of the late prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, has refused to lead the Pakistan People's Party in the October 10 elections at a time when the political career of her sister hangs in the balance.

"Some senior PPP leaders wanted Sanam to lead the party in case the military regime bars former prime minister and PPP chief Benazir Bhutto from running in elections," Munawwar Suharwardi, a spokesman of the party in Karachi, told Gulf News.

"But Sanam is disappointed by Pakistan's politics which has destroyed her family. She has refused to enter into politics," he said.

Earlier this week, Kamal Azfar, Bhutto's lawyer, and Taj Haider, PPP's information secretary, said that Sanam Bhutto would file nomination papers as the covering candidate for her sister from their hometown of Larkana.

But Raza Rabbani, secretary general of the PPP, said this move is now not on the cards , burying speculation and debate whether Sanam, 41, will jump into Pakistan's political fray.

Sanam leads a quiet life in the posh Kensington neighbourhood of London raising her two children Azaday and Shahmir. Unlike the other members of her family, who all played key roles in politics, she is reclusive and has kept herself away from public life.

"She always wanted that Benazir should also quit politics because it wrecked their family," Suharwardi said.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan's charismatic prime minister, was hanged to death in 1979 by former military dictator, Gen. Mohammed Zia-ul-Haq.

His youngest son, Shahnawaz Bhutto, died in mysterious circumstance in France in 1985, while police shot dead Murtaza Bhutto in Karachi in 1996 when Benazir was in power.

Benazir herself has been in and out of prison during her political career spanning more than two decades. The twice-elected premier has been removed from power both times half way through her term on charges of corruption and misrule.

Since 1996, her spouse Asif Ali Zardari is in jail on charges of masterminding the murder of Murtaza, drugs smuggling and corruption.

Zahid Hussain, Pakistan's leading political analyst and journalist, said Benazir had been trying to persuade Sanam to enter into politics.

"Sanam is not as charismatic as Benazir, but being a Bhutto she can still draw crowds," said Hussain, who met Benazir in London last month.

"Sanam's return to Pakistan could have generated a new enthusiasm and vigour in the PPP and boosted its election campaign because she is not tainted by corruption allegations and carries no past baggage."