Lahore: Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Jr., the grandson of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, has announced the launch of a new political party focused on securing the rights of farmers and laborers. At a press conference in Lahore, flanked by civil society activists and farmer representatives, Bhutto Jr. declared that his party would revive the original principles of Bhuttoism, accusing the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of straying from its founding ideals.
Bhutto Jr., son of the late Mir Murtaza Bhutto, stated that his party would operate under the slogan “Jiay Awam” and prioritize the welfare of farmers, whom he called the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. He emphasized the need for genuine devolution of power and condemned corporate farming schemes that displace small landowners. “Farmers are being exploited in the name of progress,” he said, rejecting the government’s Green Pakistan initiative as a land-grabbing tactic.
The young leader also criticized the proposed construction of six canals from the Indus River in Cholistan, warning that the project would exacerbate Sindh’s water crisis. He demanded a fair, nationwide water distribution policy modeled after the Sindh Accord. Meanwhile, farmer leaders at the event denounced loan recovery notices issued to struggling agriculturists, calling for an end to exploitative public-private partnerships.
Political analysts suggest Bhutto Jr.’s entry could disrupt the PPP’s dominance in Sindh, where it has ruled uninterrupted since 2008. While the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) previously failed to dent the PPP’s hold, Bhutto Jr.’s lineage and farmer-centric agenda may rally disenchanted voters. With Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari leading the PPP’s new generation, Sindh’s political landscape could be headed for a dramatic showdown.