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KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his father, former President Asif Ali Zardari have been invited to attain the US President-elect Joe Biden’s oath-taking ceremony.
According to sources, the father-son duo got an invitation to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Democrat Joe Biden, scheduled to take place on January 20.
Sources said Bilawal Bhutto is expected to leave for the US on January 19. However, co-chairman PPP Asif Zardari will not accompany him due to health issues.
Last month, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah visited the USA and held meetings with the members of the Democratic Party, sources added. In the past, Asif Zardari and Obama governments have worked closely on different projects.
There were also reports that the invitation of Pakistan’s former Ambassador to US Husain Haqqani’s efforts made it possible to invite Asif Zardari and Bilawal for the oath-taking ceremony.
However, Haqqani rejected the reports. “I am sorry but this is incorrect. I have nothing to do with any plans Pres Zardari or @BBhuttoZardarimay or may not have of attending the U.S. presidential inauguration,” he added.
I am sorry but this is incorrect. I have nothing to do with any plans Pres Zardari or @BBhuttoZardari may or may not have of attending the U.S. presidential inauguration. https://t.co/hSLteJ33G9
— Husain Haqqani (@husainhaqqani) January 12, 2021
Earlier Monday, the U.S. National Guard said it had authorized up to 15,000 members to assist with security efforts for the January 20 inauguration.
“To date, our troops have been requested to support security, logistics, liaison, and communication missions,” Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said in a statement.
NEW: @USNationalGuard authorized to "provide up to 15,000 Guard members to meet current & future inauguration support requirements…to support security, logistics, liaison, & communication missions" following requests from Capitol Police, @NatlParkService, per @ChiefNGB pic.twitter.com/5KhGFK3QwO
— Jeff Seldin (@jseldin) January 11, 2021
Guard officials said 6,200 troops from six states are in Washington supporting civilian authorities in the aftermath of last Wednesday’s riot, during which the U.S. Capitol was briefly overrun by thousands of pro-Trump extremists, leaving five people dead.
The National Guard has a long history of helping to secure U.S. presidential inaugurations; about 8,000 National Guard members were present during Trump’s inauguration in 2016.
The U.S. National Park Service also announced Monday it will close the Washington Monument from January 11 until after the inauguration, citing threats of violence.
“Groups involved on January 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol continue to threaten to disrupt the 59th presidential inauguration on January 20, 2021,” NPS wrote in a statement on its website.
