Zulfikar Bhutto Jr Steps Into the Political Arena — But What’s His Real Agenda?

LAHORE (RNN TV) — Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Junior, grandson of former prime minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, has formally announced the launch of a new political party aimed at safeguarding the rights of farmers — a move that could significantly alter Sindh’s political landscape.

Speaking at a press conference at the Lahore Press Club on Friday, Bhutto Jr said the new party’s core mission would be to represent Pakistan’s agricultural community, calling farmers the “backbone of the nation’s economy.” The press event was attended by civil society activists and representatives from Anjuman Mazarain Punjab, including Dr Ammar Ali Jan and Ghulam Abbas.

Bhutto Jr, the son of the late Mir Murtaza Bhutto — founder of PPP-Shaheed Bhutto and a former Member of the Sindh Assembly — openly criticised the current PPP, saying it had “failed to uphold the philosophy of Bhuttoism.” He asserted that his party would carry forward the vision of his grandfather and raise the slogan “Jiay Awam” (Long Live the People).

Highlighting key priorities, Bhutto Jr called for genuine devolution of power to the masses and strong support for both labourers and farmers. “It is time to implement the 18th Amendment in its true spirit,” he said, emphasizing that provincial autonomy must not be compromised.

Bhutto Jr also voiced opposition to the proposed construction of six canals from the Indus River in the Cholistan region, warning that it would further deprive Sindh of its already dwindling water share. He called for a comprehensive, nationally agreed framework for water distribution based on the principles of the Sindh Accord.

In a strong critique of the ‘Green Pakistan’ initiative, Bhutto Jr said that under the guise of environmental progress, fertile lands were being taken from farmers and handed over for corporate farming. He denounced the leasing of vast tracts of land, arguing it was displacing smallholders and exploiting rural communities.

Dr Ammar Ali Jan and farmer leader Ghulam Abbas echoed Bhutto Jr’s concerns, particularly condemning government-issued loan repayment notices to farmers. They demanded an end to exploitative public-private partnerships that burden local agricultural workers.

The announcement of Bhutto Jr’s political party adds a new dimension to Sindh’s political arena. While past efforts like the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) — which included prominent figures such as Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, and Dr Safdar Abbasi — failed to pose a serious challenge to the PPP, Bhutto Jr’s move could prove more impactful due to his direct lineage and ideological appeal.

With Bilawal Bhutto Zardari leading PPP into a new era, the emergence of Zulfikar Bhutto Jr as a rival torchbearer of the Bhutto legacy sets the stage for a potentially dramatic shift in provincial politics.

Source: Web Desk