Bilawal Bhutto asks world not to lose hope in Pakistan

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the chairman of the ruling Pakistan People's Party, has expressed shock at the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team but said that the world should not "lose hope" in his country.

Bilawal, who was speaking at the annual World Women's Award ceremony in Vienna, urged the international community not to lose faith and hope in Pakistan and its people at a time when the country is passing through troubled times.

"The acts of terrorism in Pakistan are a blight on our society and I am deeply shocked at the recent attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore. We are a young nation
striving to find our place in the world and God willing, we will fulfil my mother's dream," he said.

Bilawal, 20, was made chairman of the PPP after his mother, former premier Benazir Bhutto, was assassinated in December 2007. He presented the annual Women's Tolerance Award -- renamed the Benazir Bhutto Tolerance Award -- to Italian actress Claudia Cardinale at the ceremony held on Thursday.

"By honouring my mother you are also honouring Pakistan," said Bilawal, who was accompanied to the ceremony by his aunt Sanam Bhutto and Pakistan's High commissioner to Britain Wajid Shamsul Hasan.

Benazir received the Women's Tolerance Award in 2005.  Describing the problems facing Pakistan as "unprecedented", Bilawal said: "One news columnist has suggested that my father (President Asif Ali Zardari) has the hardest job in the world."