Bilawal Bhutto, the 19-year old son of the assassinated freedom fighter Benazir Bhutto, has broken the silence with a public statement over the popular social networking site Facebook.
As the next co-head of Benazir’s political party, Bilawal is the new primary target of assassination. The Internet provides a safe and very effective way to air his side and reach out to his people.
Moreover, some observers believe the combination of new technology combined with direct communication to the public is the key success factor for this young Oxford University student to climb the political ladder of Pakistan.
The downside, however, is this strategy might alienate the people in the rural areas of Pakistan, one of the biggest supporters of the late Benazir Bhutto.
According to a news article, about 10 million out of 160 million youths in Pakistan are online. Then again, the Internet can only do so much. Bilawal has to face his enemies and socialize if he wants to win the respect and votes of his fellow countrymen.
Originally posted on January 3, 2008 @ 10:05 am