Bhutto’s services now recognised even by opponents, says Kaira

Pakistan Peoples Party senior leader and former federal minister Qamar Zaman Kaira on Tuesday said former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a visionary leader whose contributions were now acknowledged even by his political opponent

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Apr, 2026) Pakistan Peoples Party senior leader and former Federal minister Qamar Zaman Kaira on Tuesday said former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a visionary leader whose contributions were now acknowledged even by his political opponents.

Addressing a ceremony organized by the People’s Lawyers Forum at Lahore High Court Bar Association to mark Bhutto’s death anniversary, Kaira said commemorative events were being held across the country in memory of the PPP founder and that party workers remained committed to his political philosophy.

He said the true stature of major leaders was often recognized with time, adding that nations that eliminated their own leaders were eventually held accountable by history. Kaira remarked that Pakistan had struggled to produce leadership of the same stature since the deaths of Bhutto and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Recalling the political situation after the 1970 elections and the 1971 breakup of the country, Kaira said Bhutto assumed national leadership at a time when the treasury was empty and no constitutional framework existed. He said Bhutto introduced an interim constitutional arrangement in 1972 and later delivered the unanimously adopted 1973 Constitution, which remained in force.

Kaira said Bhutto also laid the foundation of Pakistan’s nuclear programme in 1972 and initiated key defence measures despite limited resources and lack of international support. He added that Bhutto pursued a vision of national self-reliance under highly challenging circumstances.

He further said that major progress was made during Bhutto’s tenure in the industrial, educational and defence sectors, with universities and medical colleges established across the country, while nationalization was considered a globally accepted policy at the time.

Referring to foreign policy, Kaira said Bhutto succeeded in bringing leaders of Muslim countries together on one platform and promoted unity among Islamic nations. He also expressed concern over ongoing human rights crises in parts of the world, saying international institutions were not playing an effective role.

Speaking on the occasion, People’s Lawyers Forum Punjab leader Advocate Rao Khalid and other speakers paid tribute to Bhutto’s political services and described him as a leader whose legacy continued to shape national politics.