Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Sanam Bhutto rejects having differences with Zardari





LONDON: Sanam Bhutto rejected a report published on Thursday in a local newspaper alluding to her alleged differences with President Zardari as a total fabrication and a vicious attack on ‘me, my family and the memory of Benzir Bhutto Shaheed.’

Talking to the media here at the Pakistan High Commission, the sister of the late Benazir Bhutto said that she had made none of the statements attributed to her in the report.

‘There was no interview with Daphne Barak and each insinuation is a complete fabrication.’

She said she was ‘very angry’ as she began to read her statement.

The news report she was referring to was published on Wednesday. Quoting an identified source the report had referred to an interview given to a freelance journalist, Daphne Barak by Sanam Bhutto which the report further said would be released at some future date. The report had not carried any direct confirmation from Daphne herself about her purported interview with Sanam Bhutto.

Sanam said Barak was never a friend of Benazir Bhutto, ‘They met for an interview fifteen years ago. She knows nothing about my sister or about our family’s relationships. She is not, as suggested, in any way an insider of the Bhutto family on any issue.’

She further said that she was on excellent terms with President Zardari, ‘I have no property or financial issues with him as has been alleged in this article. Views attributed to my nephew Bilawal Bhutto Zardari are also a figment of the author’s imagination, clearly designed to damage our family and create a rift in the Pakistan Peoples Party.’

She further said Barak knew nothing about the events surrounding Benazir’s murder, ‘any suggestion otherwise is a blatant attempt to exploit and ingratiate herself for her own purposes into what is a serious investigation by the UN of the assassination.’

She reiterated that the Bhutto family stood united with President Zardari at this critical juncture when the nation faces serious internal and external threats.

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