For Bilawal Bhutto

No political leader in Pakistan can claim to have offered more sacrifices for democracy than Quaid-e-Azam, Allama Iqbal, Sher-e-Bengal Fazalul Haq and other leading political icons. However, their sacrifices have neither earned for their families an eternal right to rule sans accountability nor any claim to royalty. In democratic politics, there is nothing constant or supreme, except the will of the people. Bilawal’s late grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a politician with comparably better financial integrity than many others in post-independence history of Pakistan. People may differ with many aspects of ZAB’s power politics but nobody can accuse him of any financial wrongdoings.

If Imran threatens to fill the political void, it is because of failures by main political parties. Unfortunately, Bilawal’s father has miserably failed on every count and has various allegations of financial scams, abuse of power and conflict of interest. It is not that other politicians and military dictators are free from allegations of abuse of power, but the fact that Mr Zardari claims to be heir of ZAB’s legacy, minus his political acumen and credibility, for which he himself is to blame and makes him more controversial than others.

Bilawal needs to understand that poor performance of his father has annoyed masses with his addiction for cronyism, poor governance and allegations of corruption. It is time Bilawal understands grave challenges and ground realities, however ugly they may seem, and the fact that unlike his mother, he has not inherited any credible legacy. Can he regain PPP’s past glory?

MALIK TARIQ ALI

Lahore