Security was discreetly stepped up as the new term started on Monday at Oxford University, where Benazir Bhutto's son has vowed to complete his student life despite being named her political heir.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari returned to his first-year history studies at Christ Church College after being named Benazir's long-term successor as Pakistan People's Party head following her assassination in December and looming elections. Scotland Yard has been drafted in to protect the 19-year-old in a top secret operation which one security industry source said would cost "thousands and thousands" of pounds a month.
Despite this, Christ Church - founded in 1529 - was still open to visitors on Monday and, as usual, bowler-hatted porters manned its gates rather than police, although there seemed to be more officers than usual patrolling the street outside.
While the college has reassured students they have no reason to suspect a "direct threat" to Bilawal, some in Oxford have already expressed concerns that his presence could pose dangers to others in the city.
"Go home, you endanger us all here in Oxford by being here," one person wrote on the website of the local Oxford Mail newspaper, while another was hostile to the idea that British taxpayers would pay for his security. "Idiots from HIS country want to kill HIM but I bet the British taxpayer is footing the bill for HIS security," another added.
Comments
Comments are closed.