Bilawal leaves Pakistan after tiff with father

Media reports quoted sources in the Pakistan capital, as saying that Bilawal flew to Dubai after Zardari told him that he would be handed over the party command only after he was groomed politically.u00a0They said tensions escalated so much that Bilawal reportedly told Zardari that if he had to vote, even he wouldn't do so for the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

Daddy troubles: Sources said that the tensions between Zardari and Bilawal had escalated so much that he wouldn't vote for the PPP. File Pic

A news agency reported that Bilawal had quarrelled with his father and aunt, Zardari's sister Faryal Talpur, over the PPP's position on issues like militancy, sectarianism and ticket distribution ahead of elections.

Talpur's refusal to give tickets to candidates he favoured had angered Bilawal. Bilawal was reportedly particularly upset with the PPP's weak reaction to the Taliban's attempt to kill child rights activist Malala Yousafzai, the attacks on the Shia community and how PPP had handled the youth factor, keeping in mind cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan's rising popularity.

Former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, however, downplayed Bilawal's departure, saying, "In our families, our children give immense respect to their elders."

Imran Khan says won't take oath from Zardari if party wins elections
Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chief has said he would never take oath from President Asif Ali Zardari if his party wins the next general elections. Khan said the PTI has only those workers who are committed to the party's ideology. Khan criticised the previous government, saying that the rulers have destroyed the country's system. He further said that the PTI has carefully drafted its manifesto to build a new Pakistan. He said the PTI would not only resolve the issue of power loadshedding in the next five years, but will also reduce electricity charges.u00a0