Security concerns to keep Bilawal from PPP campaign

New Delhi Security concerns will keep Bilawal Zardari out of the PPP's election campaign.

The 19-year-old son of Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari will get 24-hour protection, even in the relatively safe environs of Oxford.

The Scotland Yard's elite Diplomatic Protection Group will reportedly carry out a risk assessment and talk to officials in the Pakistan People's Party to decide what level of protection the PPP's youngest chairman should receive.

The PPP's General Secretary for Greater London, Mohsin Bari, has said party officials are yet to speak to Scotland Yard about the new leader's protection and planned to hold a meeting soon as possible.

''We do not know yet when Bilawal will return to take up his studies but he faces the same dangers as his mother. He was in danger as soon as he was announced Joint Chairman of the Party by his father. He will have the same enemies as his mother because he is continuing where she left off and following the same policies,''

Bari told news agency UNI.

''It is our responsibility and the responsibility of the British government to look after him while he is in this country. We will talk to the police and take advice,'' he added.

The Scotland Yard refused to comment on Bilawal's protection measures.

''We never comment on issues of personal protection," a spokeswoman said.'

Bilawal is regarded as a prime target for Islamic militants and political opponents and the Yard has a variety of options to utilise, ranging from installing a panic alarm and sensors being installed in his student accommodation to round-the-clock protection by armed officers.

UNI quote a spokesman of Oxford University as saying, ''We will review our security arrangements. We take the security of all our students, including high profile students, extremely seriously. We cannot comment on individual students even if they are high profile or in the public eye."

Bilawal is a first year history student at Christ Church, Oxford, and will start the next academic term on January 13.

With inputs from UNI