Former prime minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto’s only surviving sibling Sanam Bhutto has thrown her weight behind her nephew, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
At an event at London’s 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.
Benazir Bhutto’s younger sister Sanam 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 is the right choice to lead Pakistan and to put the country in the right direction.
Bhutto expressed her well-wishes for Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, the wife of former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, 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 his 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 June 16, a day after Nawaz Sharif landed in London and learnt that Begum Kulsoom Nawaz had suffered a cardiac arrest.
The wedding took place that Saturday and it was hoped that Bilawal would pay a visit to Kulsoom Nawaz at the hospital but he sent his best wishes on social media instead.
“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.”
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s aunt has thrown her support behind the PPP leader.
