PPP

The candle in the wind

Benazir Bhutto was not flawless. That would have made her forgettable. She was urgent. She was unfinished. She was fury wrapped in grace. And she walked straight into history with her head high, her voice clear, and her fate already sealed. But she did not flinch.

Benazir does not belong in a glass case. She belongs in the messy, difficult conversations about what it means to lead with both elegance and exhaustion. — MICHAEL MCCALL FOR THE THURSDAY TIMES
Former PM Zulfikar Ali Bhutto awarded Pakistan’s highest civilian honour, Nishan-e-Pakistan. — FILE

PMLN and PPP agree to form joint federal government in surprise coalition

The PML(N) and PPP have agreed to form a coalition government at both the federal and Punjab levels, following talks between Shehbaz Sharif and PPP leaders Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari, aiming to tackle Pakistan's political and economic challenges through unity and collaboration.

A file photo is shown of PML(N) president Shehbaz Sharif (R) meeting with PPP co-chairs Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari (L) and Asif Ali Zardari (C) at PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi's residence in Lahore on February 10, 2024. — FILE/THE THURSDAY TIMES
An illustration is shown of PML(N) senior vice president Maryam Nawaz. — FILE/THE THURSDAY TIMES

Benazir, the pioneer

Benazir Bhutto, twice Prime Minister of Pakistan, was the first woman to lead a democratic government in a Muslim-majority country. Her landmark tenures, from 1988-1990 and 1993-1996, were marked by significant political and social reforms.

Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto is released from jail by General Zia-ul-Haq to fanfare from the Pakistan People's Party on September 9, 1986. — GAMMA-RAPHO/THE THURSDAY TIMES

The enduring impact of the PPP

Over its 55-year history, the Pakistan People's Party has been a transformative force in Pakistan, championing inclusivity and social welfare under the leaderships of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, and Asif Ali Zardari, and continuing its legacy with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

A combined file photo is shown of former Pakistani president Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1965 (L), former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 1995 (C) and former Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari (R). — FILE/THE THURSDAY TIMES

Musharraf hospitalised

The general's debilitating physical and mental state seem to indicate the end of a saga.

A file photo shows former president General Pervez Musharraf.
PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is shown.
The Thursday Times is published by Thursday Media International