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Source: DTN News / Dailymail.co.uk By Jason Groves
Mr Zardari rejected an invitation to spend a night at the Buckinghamshire mansion, saying he was too busy as the diplo matic row continued over his coun try’s approach to tackling terrorism.
But he will visit Chequers for dinner this evening for informal talks with the Prime Minister, which are set to be dominated by Mr Cameron’s assertion last week that Pakistan is ‘exporting terror’.
He will then travel back to his hotel in London before returning to Chequers tomorrow for for mal talks with the Prime Minister, who also accused Pakistan of ‘looking both ways’ on terror.
Casual: Asif Ali Zardari, daughter Asifa and son Bilawal (striped top) arriving at Heathrow last night
Mr Zardari will on Saturday address a rally in Birmingham at which he is expected to launch his son with Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal, onto the political stage.
Bilawal, 21, is the young heir to the most important political dynasty in Pakistan and has been at his father's side in France and the UK this week.
He became chairman of the Pakistan People's Party after his mother's assassination and has just graduated from Oxford and will now take to politics full-time.
Mr Cameron’s comments, made during a visit to India last week, have unleashed fury in Pakistan and angered some members of Britain’s million-strong British Pakistani community.
Pakistani sources have said Mr Zardari will use this week’s talks to ‘educate’ Mr Cameron on the suffering that terrorism has caused to his country.
Earlier this week Mr Zardari suggested that Mr Cam eron’s words could even undermine inter national efforts to tackle terrorism.
Downing Street yesterday denied Mr Zardari had snubbed the Prime Minister. A source said the decision not to stay at Chequers was due to a ‘diary clash’.
David Cameron shakes hands with Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi during a meeting at Chigi palace in Rome last night
But Mr Zardari is under intense pres sure at home to demonstrate his anger over Mr Cameron’s comments.
He is already facing fierce criticism over his decision to continue his tour of Europe at a time when Pakistan has suffered dev astating floods.
Former Pakistan cricket captain Imran Khan said the president should have postponed his ‘lavish’ visit during which he has stayed at a family chateau in France and a five-star hotel in London.
Yesterday there were protests by some British Pakistanis outside his hotel.
Mr Zardari yesterday met with the Con servative Party chairman Baroness Warsi for private talks in London. The Cabinet Office refused to comment on the talks.
Today Mr Zardari will hold talks with the home secretary, Theresa May, which are expected to include discussions about co-ordinating counter-terrorism efforts. He is also expected to meet the educa tion secretary, Michael Gove.
In a further diplomatic slight it emerged that Mr Zardari had telephoned Gordon Brown yesterday, before speak ing to Mr Cameron.
Flood victims: People walk through mud while salvaging their belongings from their destroyed village in Pabbi, located in Pakistan's northwest Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province yesterday
A statement on the former Prime Minister’s website said the two men had discussed the flooding crisis in Pakistan.
David Cameron will return to Britain for dinner with Mr Zardari after last night flying out to Rome for talks with contro versial prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.
The meeting comes as the Italian leader finds himself embroiled in yet another damaging sex scandal, with claims he had four-in-a-bed romps with prostitutes.
Unusually, there was no press confer ence after the meeting - reflecting con cerns that the event could turn into an embarrassment for both leaders.
BENAZIR BHUTTO'S SON PREPARES TO STEP UP
Heir: Bilawal Bhutto, centre, with Nicholas Sarkozy and his father Asif Ali Zardari in France this week
The Pakistan President is expected to use his trip to Britain to launch his son into the political limelight.
Asif Ali Zardari will address thousands of British Pakistanis in Birmingham on Saturday with son Bilawal at his side.
Bilawal, 21, the young heir to the most important political dynasty in Pakistan, was with his father in France this week.
And he was there last night with his sister Asifa as the entourage landed in Heathrow for its five-day visit
He has just graduated from Oxford University with a 2:1 in history, two and a half years after his mother was assassinated in December 2007 during the presidential elections.
Bilawal, whose name means 'one without equal', was named as his mother's successor as chairman of the Pakistan People's Party after her death despite his inexperience.
At the time, he took her name and vowed to 'lead the party as my mother wanted me to' once he returned to Pakistan.
Studying at Oxford followed a family tradition - his mother read PPE at Lady Margaret Hall and was President of the Union in 1976.
His grandfather, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan's first PM who was executed in 1979, was also at Christ Church College where Bilawal studied.
Bilawal, although still too young to stand for election in his country, has been groomed to succeed his grandfather - although he has spent most of his life in London and Dubai.
He was born in 1988, a mother before his mother won an election under military dictator Ziaul-Haq to become the first female PM in the Muslim work.
She nominated Bilawal as her successor in her will before returning to Pakistan. His father took over as caretaker chairman while he finished his studies.
Saturday's event in Birmingham is being seen as his formal launch into politics. It is thought Mr Zardari could hand control of the party to his son.
Bilawal has already met Barack Obama, on a trip to the U.S. last year, and met Nicholas Sarkozy earlier this week.
A senior PPP member told the Independent: 'It is not going too far to say that we consider him to be the best hope for Pakistan's political future.'
Legacy: Benazir Bhutto with Bilawal, 10, and daughters Itty, 9, and Asifa, 6, together in Britain in 1999
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