NPR

Bhutto's Party Names Her Son, 19, as Successor

By Philip Reeves,

Liane Hansen

Published December 30, 2007 at 5:00 AM PST

Benazir Bhutto's 19-year-old son has been chosen as his mother's successor. Bilawal Zardari will be the new chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, with his father, Asif, as co-chairman. The two were chosen by party leaders at a meeting Sunday in Bhutto's ancestral home.

Party officials also announced that their candidates will participate in next month's parliamentary elections. But there are reports that the government of President Pervez Musharaff has decided already to postpone the elections for another three to four months.

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Philip Reeves

Philip Reeves is an award-winning international correspondent covering South America. Previously, he served as NPR's correspondent covering Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India.

Liane Hansen

Liane Hansen has been the host of NPR's award-winning Weekend Edition Sunday for 20 years. She brings to her position an extensive background in broadcast journalism, including work as a radio producer, reporter, and on-air host at both the local and national level. The program has covered such breaking news stories as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the capture of Saddam Hussein, the deaths of Princess Diana and John F. Kennedy, Jr., and the Columbia shuttle tragedy. In 2004, Liane was granted an exclusive interview with former weapons inspector David Kay prior to his report on the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The show also won the James Beard award for best radio program on food for a report on SPAM.