Bhutto Jr announces launching new political party

LAHORE: Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) Junior, the grandson of former Prime Minister and PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, has announced to form a new political party with the prime objective of protecting the rights of Kissan (farmers). Zulfikar, also known as Bhutto Junior, expressed this resolve while addressing a press conference at Lahore Press Club on Friday.

Civil society activists as well as members from Anjuman Mazarain Punjab including Dr Ammar Ali Jan, Ghulam Abbas and others were also present on the occasion.

Bhutto Junior is son of late Mir Murtaza Bhutto who founded PPP-Shaheed Bhutto in the year 1993. Murtaza also served as Member of Sindh Assembly from Larkana from 1993 to 1996 till his death.

Bhutto Junior stated that PPP had failed to implement Bhuttoism and stated his party would run under the philosophy of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and raise the slogan of ‘Jiay Awam’. He said that the need of hour was the devolution of power in letter and spirit to the masses and take all steps aimed at the welfare of labourers and farmers.

While responding to a question, ZAB Junior said that when it comes to provincial autonomy, he firmly believes there should be no compromise on the 18th Amendment in the Constitution.

Regarding the project to construct six canals from the Indus River in the Cholistan region, he stated that Sindh is already facing a severe water shortage, and this project would further reduce Sindh’s water share. He emphasised the need for a national water distribution framework modeled after the Sindh Accord.

ZAB Junior rejected the initiative of ‘Green Pakistan’ and stated in the name of so-called progress, the lands of farmers were being acquired. He stated the farmers were being exploited in the name of corporate farming and a large scale of land had been leased which means farmers were losing their holdings.

Civil society activist Dr Ammar Ali Jan and farmer leader Ghulam Abbas on the occasion also voiced concern over the loan payment notices issued to the farmers by the government. They demanded exploitation of farmers through public private partnership should end.

It is pertinent to mention that after Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), a new political party, headed by the grandson of PPP founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, could prove a test for PPP that has been in power in Sindh consecutively since 2008.

Although GDA, despite comprising some senior political leaders of Sindh, including Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Dr Zulfiqar Mirza and Dr Safdar Abbasi could not prove a potential threat to PPP chiefly led by Asif Zardari. Now with Bilawal Bhutto, the representative of new generation of leaders, an interesting political scenario is expected in Sindh.