No immediate plan to join politics: Bilawal

Islamabad: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said he has no immediate plans to join active politics as the head of the Pakistan People’s Party, of which his father President Asif Ali Zardari is currently co-chairman.

In a statement issued in London, which newspapers here published on Friday, also dispelled the impression that Zardari’s current visit to Britain was meant to launch his son’s political career.

"As for my future plans, I intend to continue my education, both academic and political,” he said, adding that he was looking into the possibility of studying law, just as his late grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto did.

Bilawal Zardri said he felt that an understanding of law and an appreciation for the rule of law "is important for any politician seeking to strengthen democracy in Pakistan".

He said following the assassination of his mother Benazir Bhutto in December 2007 the media in Britain had kindly agreed to allow him to continue with his education without being disturbed. He hoped that this courtesy would be extended until he completed his further education as well.

"I do look forward to working with the media, the international community and most importantly the people of Pakistan in the future to achieve our shared goals of strengthening democracy in Pakistan and combating the forces of extremism that robbed me of my mother and threaten the world today,” Bilawal said.

Before his UK visit, Zardari had stated in a speech in Karachi that his son had graduated from Oxford obtaining same marks as were secured by his mother at this university and that after his political training he would start active politics.

The next general election in Pakistan will be due after the present PPP-led setup completes its five-year term in 2013. Bilawal gave no indication whether he would jump into the political arena before or after the elections.