Shah Mahmood Qureshi, vice chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), penned a handwritten letter from Kot Lakhpat jail on Monday, asserting that a transformed Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is taking shape, marked by a shift from the Bhutto legacy to the Zardari-led era, reads a DAWN report.
Qureshi, who departed from PPP over a decade ago, remarked that Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari have replaced Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto at the helm of the party. He noted a visible change in representation, with figures like Sharjeel Memon stepping forward while stalwarts such as Aitzaz Ahsan, Raza Rabbani, and Farhatullah Babar recede into the background.
“The shift is evident in the party's policies and approach,” Qureshi wrote. “The romanticism of ‘Jeeay Bhutto’ has faded, giving way to ‘Jeeay Zardari.’”
Qureshi criticized the PPP for departing from its foundational values, citing its support for legislation he claimed undermines judicial independence and freedom of speech. He argued that the party's transformation from advocating social democracy to endorsing hybrid democracy has eroded its popularity and alienated its traditional supporters.
“The Bhutto vision has been replaced by Zardari’s pragmatism,” he contended. “Political engineering is underway to finalize the new PPP, but KP and Punjab already distanced themselves from the party in 2013 and 2018.”
He also pointed to PTI’s growing influence, highlighting its stronghold in KP, Punjab, urban Karachi, and its potential to gain ground in rural Sindh with developmental projects like new canals over the Indus River.
Separately, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) continued hearings against Qureshi and other PTI leaders regarding provocative speeches during the May 9 riots. The session, held inside Kot Lakhpat jail, saw the testimonies of four more witnesses, bringing the total to 22. The court directed the prosecution to present additional witnesses on February 6.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
