Pakistan's Zardari faces anger over UK visit
Updated on 07 August 2010
As Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari faces protests from British muslims over his presence in the UK while floods ravage Pakistan, his son angrily denies using the devastating floods for political gain.
Zardari this year handed most of his powers to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, but he still wields influence and his presence in Europe while Pakistan's flood crisis worsens has prompted much criticism.
Zardari, who yesterday met prime minister David Cameron, is ending his UK visit with a sppech to supporters of his Pakistan Peoples Party in Birmingham today. However, crowds of protestors gathered outside Birmingham's National Indoor Arena to demonstrate against Pakistan's government.
His son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, defended his father's visit to the UK as he launched an appeal for aid at the Pakistan High Commission in London today. "This is not the time to play politics," he said.
"My father is doing the best he can for the people of Pakistan", using "every tactic" he can to help, he added.
In a chaotic press conference at the commission in west London, he said his country was "facing the worst flood in living memory".
More from Channel 4 News:
- Cameron and Zardari hold talks
- Who Knows Who: Asif Ali Zardari
- Pakistan floods: desperation as rain continues
"The flood water is devastating the lives of people who have already suffered most at the hands of terrorists.
I ask everyone to do what you can to help the people of Pakistan. This is not the time to play politics," he said.
Bilawal, son of the late Benazir Bhutto, denied reports that he had been due to give his first major political speech at the rally for British Pakistanis in Birmingham today.
When asked if he planned to launch his political career in tandem with his father's UK visit, the Oxford graduate said: "No, no. That is all lies".
President Zardari's meeting with David Cameron yesterday ended with warm words from the Prime Minister about an "unbreakable relationship" and the planting of a tree in memory of the late Benazir Bhutto, Mr Zardari's wife, in the grounds of Chequers in Buckinghamshire.
This sombre event in bucolic countryside in England's high summer could hardly be more symbolic of the deadly mutual threat faced by both countries, given that Benazir herself was killed by Islamist militants.
The relationship seemed to be on a better footing than it was last week, when Mr Cameron chose India of all places to accuse Pakistan of "looking both ways" in the battle to combat terrorism and of certain elements "exporting terror".
Standing alongside Mr Cameron, President Zardari said: "Storms will come and storms will go and Pakistan and Britain will stand together and face all the difficulties with dignity".
Mr Cameron said the leaders' meeting had been "excellent" and that "an unbreakable relationship between Britain and Pakistan" was based on mutual interests on trade and combating terrorism.
"We want to work together to combat terrorism", he said.
