Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif released a statement on the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, paying tribute to his national, political, and constitutional services.

The Prime Minister said Bhutto made invaluable contributions as Prime Minister, focusing on national development, prosperity, and strengthening Pakistan’s defense.

He played a constructive role in drafting and approving the 1973 Constitution, which has been key in promoting parliamentary democracy in the country.

He added that Bhutto worked to ensure public-oriented governance and addressed citizens’ fundamental issues while representing Pakistan on the global stage.

The Prime Minister concluded by praying for Bhutto’s high status in the hereafter and emphasizing that his political services will always be remembered.

The statement added that “nearly half a century after his unlawful and unconstitutional execution, the Supreme Court, in its opinion delivered on March 6, 2024, held that Zulfikar Bhutto had been denied a free trial and due process. The Court observed that the legal proceedings destroyed any semblance of fair trial and revealed that an innocent man was ‘rushed to the gallows.’”

The president, in his statement, said that the day is a “reminder that justice and due process are not abstract principles”.

“As a nation, we must draw clear lessons from this chapter of our history.”

PM Shehbaz pays tribute to Bhutto’s leadership and legacy

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to Bhutto’s “national and political services”.

“As prime minister, Bhutto worked sincerely for the country’s development, prosperity, and strong defense,” according to a statement released by the Prime Minister Office (PMO).

“He played a constructive role in preparing and approving the 1973 Constitution, which strengthened the parliamentary system and promoted democracy. Bhutto worked for people’s governance and addressing basic issues,” it added.

“He represented Pakistan globally as prime minister. We pray for his soul, and his services will always be remembered” said the statement.

Bilawal honours grandfather’s legacy
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also paid tribute to his late grandfather. In a post on X, he said, “On the 47th martyrdom anniversary of the leader of the masses, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, we pay him a red salute”.

“He was a visionary leader whose sacrifice became an eternal voice for democracy and the dignity of the people. His martyrdom was not the silencing of a voice but the awakening of a nation’s conscience,” he added.

“Today, we pledge to turn this dream into reality in the form of a strong, democratic, and welfare-oriented Pakistan,” he added..

Secretary General PPP Parliamentarians, Nayyer Hussain Bukhari, paid tribute to the first elected Prime Minister, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, on his martyrdom anniversary. Bukhari stated that April 4th is a dark day for democracy, human rights, and the economy.

He said that those who removed Shaheed Bhutto from power committed a grave crime against the nation and democracy. Shaheed Bhutto’s judicial murder pushed the country back by centuries. Despite not getting a fair trial, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto remains a national hero in the eyes of the people and parliament.

Bukhari highlighted Shaheed Bhutto’s contributions, including giving the country a constitution and empowering the people. He said Shaheed Bhutto’s vision of democracy, equality, and justice was hated by enemies of the nation.

Bukhari stated that Shaheed Bhutto’s ideology continues to inspire millions. He said those who silenced Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s voice have been erased from history. Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave voice to the marginalized and ensured their rights.

The PPP leader reaffirmed the party’s commitment to democracy, constitution, and people’s rights under Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s leadership.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has proposed concrete steps towards self-reliance and self-sufficiency. Secretary General PPP Parliamentarians, Nayyer Hussain Bukhari, stated that difficult decisions need to be made with the priority of building a strong and stable Pakistan.

Bukhari emphasized that governments cannot run on loans and aid, and practical steps must be taken to gradually free ourselves from international institutions. He stressed the need for national consensus on standing on our own feet.

The PPP leader proposed a 50% reduction in salaries and perks of constitutional, government, and state officials. He urged federal and provincial ministers and parliamentarians to voluntarily reduce their salaries and perks by 40%.

Bukhari also suggested significant cuts in government, state, and institutional expenditures to reduce the burden on the national treasury. He proposed shutting down central air conditioning and heating systems in government and private institutions to conserve energy.

The PPP leader advocated for bringing the housing, foreign currency, stock exchange, transport, industrial, and commercial sectors into the tax net. He suggested imposing government fees on private housing societies’ residential and commercial property transactions.

Bukhari emphasized eliminating all privileges of the elite to alleviate people’s hardships, citing that inflation has made basic necessities unaffordable. He criticized those who evade taxes despite benefiting from the country.

The PPP leader stressed prioritizing agriculture, the backbone of the economy, and providing maximum subsidies to farmers for fuel, machinery, fertilizers, and seeds.

Bukhari welcomed the national leadership’s meeting, stating that consultations on national issues at the federal and provincial levels reflect responsible thinking.

President Asif Ali Zardari has directed that amid oil and gas supply pressures, escalating energy costs, and the evolving regional environment, all possible measures should be taken to ease the burden of rising prices on the common man, especially for essential goods and services.

The President said this while chairing an expanded consultative meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr in which Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and leadership of provinces as well as Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) also participated.

Other participants included Deputy Prime Minister, Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar; Minister for Defence, Khawaja Muhammad Asif; Minister for Interior, Senator Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi; National Security Advisor, Lt. General Asim Malik; Chairman PPP, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari; Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb; Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar; Minister for Law, Azam Nazeer Tarar; Minister for Planning, Ahsan Iqbal; Minister for Petroleum, Ali Pervaiz Malik; Minister for Economic Affairs Division and Establishment, Senator Ahad Khan Cheema, Chief Minister Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif; Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah; Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muhammad Sohail Afridi; Chief Minister Balochistan, Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti; Caretaker Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan, Justice (R) Yar Muhammad; Prime Minister AJ&K, Faisal Mumtaz Rathore; Minister for Climate Change, Dr. Musadiq Malik; Minister for IT, Shaza Fatima Khawaja; Minister for Power, Sardar Awais Ahmed Leghari; Advisor to PM, Dr. Syed Tauqir Shah; Advisor to the Prime Minister, Rana Sanaullah Khan; Special Assistant to PM, Mr. Tariq Bajwa; Senior Minister Punjab, Maryam Aurangzeb; Senator Saleem Mandviwala; Dr. Asim Hussain and senior officers of concerned Ministries and Divisions.

The meeting was briefed on the steps being taken by governments of the four provinces as well as of Gilgit Baltistan and AJ&K to manage price pressures, ensure availability of essential supplies and mitigate the impact on the public, enabling a coordinated national response.

The meeting also reviewed the broader regional situation and its potential effects on Pakistan’s security environment, economic outlook and food security. The meeting was assured that despite the global crisis, timely decisions have ensured no disruption to fuel supply, and that adequate fuel stocks are currently available to meet the country’s needs, with arrangements for the future also underway.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister informed the meeting about the government’s proactive diplomatic outreach, including his recent engagements with the leadership of Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as well as leaders of countries involved in the conflict. He also briefed the meeting on his upcoming visit to Beijing.

The meeting was informed that proposals to increase oil prices had repeatedly been rejected by the Prime Minister, and that funds saved through austerity measures were being channelled towards public relief. It was noted that the spirit of austerity had begun with the government cutting down its own expenditure, including cuts to the development budget and the immediate grounding of 60 percent of official vehicles.

The President reiterated that the economically vulnerable people would not be left alone in this difficult time. He directed that coordinated decision-making should be done, with alignment between economic management, energy planning, food security measures and security preparedness.

The President also asked for the need for public awareness efforts, focusing on reducing fuel consumption, encouraging the use of public transportation and promoting shared mobility practices as part of a broader demand management approach.

Karachi, Thursday, 26 March 2026: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif visited Zardari House in Karachi, where he met Mrs. Faryal Talpur, Central President of the Pakistan Peoples Party Women Wing.

The Prime Minister congratulated Mrs. Faryal Talpur and MNA Mir Munawar Talpur on the marriage of their daughter. He also extended his felicitations to Ms. Ayesha Talpur and her husband, Mr. Muhammad Shabeeh, and conveyed his best wishes for their happy and prosperous life.

Mrs. Talpur expressed her gratitude to the Prime Minister for his kind visit and thoughtful wishes.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Governor Sindh, Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, and Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Azam Nazeer Tarar, and Atta Tarar.

Also present were Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, MNA Ejaz Hussain Jakhrani, Provincial Ministers Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar and Haji Ali Hassan Zardari, and MPA Sohail Anwar Siyal.

Nayyer Hussain Bukhari, Secretary General of Pakistan Peoples Party, has stated that Pakistan’s leadership has called a spade a spade, saying what’s wrong is wrong and what’s right is right.

In a statement, Bukhari said that Pakistan has adopted cautious diplomacy in the current situation. “Pakistan is an Islamic country, and the war’s effects are largely impacting Muslim nations,” he added.

Bukhari emphasized that Pakistan’s leadership has played a highly positive role in the US, Israel, and Iran conflict. “Iran’s stance is that it doesn’t have enmity with any Islamic country or people,” he said.

He urged the international community to play its part in preventing the war’s effects, stating that peace in the Gulf is crucial for humanity. “We hope Pakistan’s efforts yield positive results,” Bukhari said, adding that Pakistan doesn’t want the war to prolong as it’s not in anyone’s interest.

Bukhari called on China, Russia, and European countries to play their role, saying that the Board of Peace has become ineffective after the attack on Iran.

According to the press release issued by the Media Cell Bilawal House, the PPP Chairman said in his message that Nowruz is a beautiful reflection of renewal, hope and harmony, reminding humanity of the power of fresh beginnings and the enduring bond between nature and human life. He emphasized that Pakistan’s strength lies in its rich cultural diversity, where every tradition and festival adds to the nation’s collective identity.

Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed hope that this Nowruz would bring joy, prosperity and renewed hope to all.

Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari presided over a meeting of the Parliamentary Party held at Bilawal House here on Sunday. The meeting was also attended by the President Asif Ali Zardari, First Lady Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, and President of the PPP Women Wing Ms. Faryal Talpur.

According to the press release issued by the Media Cell Bilawal House, the meeting was attended by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, President of PPP Sindh chapter Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, along with members of the Sindh Cabinet and PPP members of the Sindh Assembly.

While addressing the meeting, President Asif Ali Zardari said that they were carrying forward the mission of Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. He said that the country was currently facing a challenging and war-like situation, and emphasized that unity and collective resolve were the need of the hour.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed full confidence in CM Murad Ali Shah and his cabinet, appreciating their performance. Addressing the Chief Minister, he said that he and his team were doing commendable work and should continue their efforts with the same dedication. The President also directed members of the Sindh Assembly to remain actively engaged in serving the people and to ensure maximum possible relief to the public despite difficult circumstances.

Addressing the meeting, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the world was currently witnessing an atmosphere of conflict and uncertainty, and that in such circumstances all political forces must stand united. He said he was satisfied with the performance of the PPP government in Sindh and appreciated the manner in which CM Murad Ali Shah was defending the province’s case despite numerous challenges.

Referring to the Gul Plaza Fire, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that “we are among those who extinguish fires, not those who ignite them,” adding that criticism of those responding to the tragedy was difficult to understand. He said Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab was being unfairly targeted because some elements could not tolerate a jiyala serving as the mayor of Sindh’s capital. Expressing satisfaction over the Mayor’s performance, he said that development activities in Karachi would soon gain momentum. He vowed that the Sindh government and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) would respond to propaganda through their performance.

President Asif Ali Zardari meeting Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Mohsin Naqvi and Chairman MQM-Pakistan Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.