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  • In Pakistan’s Sindh, shadow of dynastic politics looms large ahead of polls 


In Pakistan’s Sindh, shadow of dynastic politics looms large ahead of polls 

A man walks past an election banner displaying Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (C), chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), along a street in Karachi on February 4, 2024, ahead of the upcoming general elections. (AFP)
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Updated 05 February 2024
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In Pakistan’s Sindh, shadow of dynastic politics looms large ahead of polls 

  • Several candidates from the Bhutto, Zardari, Shirazi, Mirza and Shah families are contesting for upcoming elections in Sindh 
  • Analysts say dynastic families in Pakistan and Sindh thrive due to lack of democratic culture in political parties, country 
Updated 05 February 2024
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: With just days left before thousands of polling booths open for millions of voters, analysts say dynastic politics in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province is a “reality,” especially in a country where democratic practices lack, even within political parties. 

In Pakistan, political power and influence are often concentrated in the hands of specific families over multiple generations. Successive governments over the years have featured members of a few select families hold positions of power or influence. 

Pakistan’s political landscape has long been dominated by well-established families, including the Sharif clan of three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, a wealthy industrialist family from Punjab, and the Bhutto dynasty of feudal aristocrats that has ruled the southern Sindh province for decades, given the country two prime ministers and whose scion, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, has now set his sights on the PM’s office.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), a major political party which has been elected to power three consecutive times in Sindh since 2008, has nominated 191 candidates for the upcoming national and provincial assembly elections in the province. A large number of the candidates are from 12 prominent political families in Sindh. 

“I think dynastic politics is true for much of South Asia,” Shahzeb Jillani, a journalist and political analyst, told Arab News. “It’s true in Pakistan as well. It seems to be more true in Sindh because you have one party running the province for last 15 years.”




A woman walks past a wall with the campaign posters of political party, ahead of general elections, in Karachi, Pakistan on February 2, 2024. (REUTERS)

Former Pakistani president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has been nominated as the party’s candidate from Sindh’s NA-207 constituency in Shaheed Benazirabad. His son and PPP chairman, Bhutto-Zardari, is contesting the polls from the NA-194 seat in Larkana and NA-196 in Kambar-Shahdadkot. 

Zardari’s sister Dr. Azra Fazal Pehchuho has been nominated to contest from the PPP’s platform for the provincial assembly constituency of PS-36 in Shaheed Benazirabad. Another sister of the former president, Faryal Talpur, is contesting polls from the PS-10 constituency in Larkana.

Meanwhile Syed Khursheed Shah, a former leader of the opposition in Pakistan’s National Assembly, is contesting from NA-201 in Sukkur, with his son Syed Farrukh Shah, running for the provincial constituency PS-24. 

Shah’s son-in-law, Syed Owais Shah, is contesting polls from PS-23 in Sindh’s Sukkur district. 

Jillani said Zardari is known for promoting younger people in politics but from the same family as he believes in “lineage.”

“And he believes in continuity as well,” Jillani noted. “And he believes that their [candidates of dynastic families] interests are so deeply intertwined with the party, that they will not ditch.”

Taj Haider, a senior PPP leader, defended the party’s choice of candidates who belong to the same families. He said these candidates not only enjoy public support but also stood with the party during tough times. 

“They can win, the one who has people with him, will get the party tickets,” Haider told Arab News. 

Journalist and author Fazil Jamili said dynastic politics in Pakistan and Sindh are thriving due to lack of democratic practices within political parties themselves. 

“Whether you call it unfortunate or anti-democratic, this is a reality,” Jamili told Arab News. “Dynastic politics hinders common workers from obtaining party tickets.”

Jamili said when only a few families dominate electoral politics, it leaves less room for grassroots supporters of political parties who are “more connected and can better serve” the masses.

“Consequently, it makes people dependent on the rich or the elite, who may not understand people’s problems as someone from among them might,” Jamili noted. 

However, he said political families dominating electoral politics are not confined to Sindh or the PPP. Rather, he said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), a major political party led by former premier Nawaz Sharif, also favored dynastic families.

Candidates from other Sindh-based parties, such as Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashidi, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), is contesting from Khairpur for a National Assembly seat. 

Rashidi is a candidate of the anti-PPP alliance, the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), while his son Pir Syed Ismail Shah and nephew, Muhammad Rashid, are contesting for provincial assembly seats in the province as well. 

Similarly, prominent politicians Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi and his brother, Masroor Jatoi, are also contesting the upcoming polls. Former Sindh chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim is contesting from the GDA’s platform while his nephew, Arbab Lutfullah, is contesting for a provincial assembly seat on the PPP’s ticket. 

Jillani agreed that political parties rely on “electables“— a popular term for politicians with significant clout that helps them win electoral contests— due to the lack of democratic culture in the country. 

“We haven’t been allowed to function as a democracy over the last 75 years,” he said. “We had dictatorships, we had interference. And that has allowed families to become more deeply entrenched.”

Topics: elections 2024 Pakistan Karachi politics

Pakistan stocks rebound as investor confidence returns amid calls to de-escalate tensions with India

Updated 6 sec ago
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Pakistan stocks rebound as investor confidence returns amid calls to de-escalate tensions with India

  • Relations between the neighbors have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Kashmir that killed 26 tourists on April 22
  • Analysts say the weekend developments are likely to be closely watched and will dictate whether Friday’s bounce will spill over into the next week
Updated 6 sec ago
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) bounced back strongly on Friday as investor confidence returned amid calls from the United States (US) and the United Nations (UN) for de-escalation of India-Pakistan tensions over Kashmir, traders and analysts said, as the market gained more than 2,500 points during the intraday trade.
Relations between the neighbors have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Kashmir that killed 26 tourists on April 22. Islamabad denies the accusation.
The benchmark KSE-100 index gained 2,628 points, or 2.36 percent, to reach 113,954 points around noon on Friday, compared to the previous day’s close of 111,326 points.
Stock analysts attributed the bullish sentiment to calls from the UN, US and other countries to de-escalate tensions between the two countries and offers to mediate the crisis.
“Stocks showed sharp recovery after the US and the UN urged Pakistan and India to defuse tensions,” Ahsan Mehanti, CEO of Arif Habib Group, told Arab News.
“Reports of 0.3 percent year-on-year Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation for April 25 likely to further ease SBP policy and expected receipt of IMF tranche [of $1 billion] this month played catalyst role in record bullish activity at PSX.”
Pakistan is currently navigating an economic recovery program under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.
But tensions with India over Kashmir saw the Pakistani stock market shedding over 3,500 points on Wednesday. The US State Department said it was in contact with the India and Pakistan, while State Secretary Marco Rubio on Wednesday held telephonic conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in a bid to ease tensions.
The UN has urged the arch-rivals to talk, while China, which shares its border with both India and Pakistan, this week repeated its call on both sides to “exercise restraint.” Saudi Arabia has said Riyadh was trying to “prevent an escalation,” while Iran has offered to mediate the crisis.
“The developments over the weekend are likely to be closely watched and will dictate whether today’s bounce spills over into next week also,” Raza Jafri, head of research at Intermarket Securities, told Arab News.
 

Topics: Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX)

Pakistan foils bid to smuggle donkey hides worth Rs80 million to China

Updated 02 May 2025
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Pakistan foils bid to smuggle donkey hides worth Rs80 million to China

  • Pakistan is frequently listed as one of the countries with highest number of donkey populations worldwide
  • The animal’s meat and hide, used in the Ejiao traditional medicinal remedy, are quite popular in China
Updated 02 May 2025
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Pakistan Customs has foiled an attempt to smuggle donkey hides, worth around Rs80 million ($283,862), to China, a customs spokesperson said on Friday.
The staff deployed on the Risk Management Profiling System of the Karachi customs collectorate detected a container number SEGU-3154225 cleared from the South Asia Pakistan Port (SAPT) terminal in Karachi, whose export documents showed 285 packages of leather products were being sent to China by Messrs. Wow Trading.
The container was allowed to be loaded on a ship after the export collectorate issued a permit, but customs authorities conducted a detailed inspection after being informed by the Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) staff and found the prohibited donkey hides in the container.
“[The inspection] resulted in the recovery of 14,000 kilograms of prohibited donkey hides, declared under the guise of leather products, in the container, the export of which is prohibited under the export policy of the Government of Pakistan,” Irfan Ali, a customs spokesperson, said in a statement.
“A case has been registered against the exporter under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act. Further investigation is underway.”
Pakistan is frequently listed as one of the countries with the highest number of donkey populations worldwide, with Islamabad reporting its donkey population had increased to 5.9 million during the fiscal year 2023-24 from 5.5 million in 2019-2020, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey (PES) 2023-24.
The animal’s meat and hides are quite popular in China. Gelatin derived from donkey hides is highly sought after in China for its use in Ejiao, a traditional medicinal remedy. Several Chinese eateries sell donkey meat and burgers for consumption.
The seizure of donkey hides comes amid a Pakistani government crackdown on smuggling of various goods.
“Karachi Customs Enforcement Collector Moinuddin Wani appreciated and praised the performance of the officers and staff of the enforcement collectorate for this successful operation,” Ali added.

Threat of war with India empties scenic Pakistani valley of summer tourists

Updated 02 May 2025
AP
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Threat of war with India empties scenic Pakistani valley of summer tourists

  • Gunmen last week killed 26 people in the Indian-administered Kashmir’s resort town of Pahalgam
  • The attack has fueled tensions after India blamed Pakistan for the attack, Islamabad denies charge
Updated 02 May 2025
AP

MUZAFFARABAD: Neelum Valley in northern Pakistan attracts some 300,000 tourists each summer who marvel at its natural beauty. But the threat of war with nearby India has emptied its hotels.
Gunmen last week killed 26 people in the Indian-administered Kashmir’s resort town of Pahalgam, fueling tensions between the nuclear-armed nations after India blamed Pakistan for the attack, a charge Pakistan denies.
Neelum Valley is less than 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the Line of Control, the de facto border that divides the disputed region of Kashmir, making it vulnerable to any military activity.
Hotel owner Rafaqat Hussain said Thursday the crisis has hit the tourism industry hard.
“Most tourists have left and returned to their cities because there is a risk of war,” he said.
Authorities in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir temporarily shuttered dozens of tourist resorts following the attack as a precaution.
No such order has come from Pakistani authorities. Bazaars in the Pakistani border town of Chakothi were open for business, although people were concerned.
“First of all, our prayer is for peace, as war always affects civilians first,” shop owner Bashir Mughal told The Associated Press, saying he would fight alongside the army in the event of conflict.
Pakistan used to help residents build bunkers near their homes during periods of intense cross-border firing. But the population has grown and some homes lack shelters.
“Local casualties could be devastating if war breaks out,” Mughal warned.
Saiqa Naseer, also from Chakothi, shuddered at the childhood memories of frequent firing across the border.
“Now, as a mother, I find myself facing the same fears,” she said.
She remembered Indian shells striking the picturesque valley when the two countries came close to war in 2019. She has a bunker at her home.
“If war comes, we will stay here. We won’t run away,” she said.

Topics: Neelum Valley

Rising Jhelum River threatens people in Azad Kashmir

Updated 02 May 2025
Reuters
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Rising Jhelum River threatens people in Azad Kashmir

  • The development comes after India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, cutting off vital flood data
  • Locals face growing uncertainty and increased risk, say they received no prior notification of water release
Updated 02 May 2025
Reuters

MUZAFFARABAD, Azad Kashmir: Rising water levels along the Jhelum River in Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir have caused concern for thousands of residents living downstream.
With India releasing more water than usual into the river and the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty cutting off vital flood data, locals face growing uncertainty and increased risk.
Along the riverbank, 72-year-old Rafiq Hussain and his family of six have been watching floodwaters creep within meters of their home.
“When India released the water, the river rose by eight to ten feet. There’s a lot of fear and uncertainty, especially after hearing reports that more water could be released without any warning,” he said.
Hussain, a farmer and father of four, said they received no prior notification of the water release. He estimates that over ten thousand people residing in about one thousand homes along the riverbank are directly exposed to the flood risk.
The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, once a rare symbol of cooperation, is now in question. India claims sovereignty over water use, while Pakistan warns of weaponization of a shared resource.
“Well there are bilateral agreements between India and Pakistan, but this Indus Waters Treaty is trilateral. It’s not between only India and Pakistan, but the World Bank is there. And as far as the articles of that agreement is concerned, that no one, either India or Pakistan, can walk away from this. They have to agree mutually if they want to scrap this agreement,” said Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider Khan, former prime minister of Azad Kashmir, a region administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entity in the western portion of the larger, disputed Kashmir region.
For families like Hussain’s, this is no longer just about diplomacy — it’s about survival.
“I cross the river to fish and sell it locally, just enough to get by. Last week, I set my nets, but two days later, a sudden ten-foot surge of water hit. By the time I returned, the nets were gone. I suffered heavy losses,” said Hameed Hussain, Rafiq’s son.
Tensions between India and Pakistan in Kashmir have increased since an attack last week on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed at least 26 people, mostly Indian visitors to the region. India has blamed Pakistan for supporting the attack, a charge which Pakistan vigorously denies.

Topics: Kashmir Indus Waters Treaty

Arab News coverage moves Pakistani governor to fund treatment of teen separated from Indian mother

Updated 27 min 27 sec ago
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Arab News coverage moves Pakistani governor to fund treatment of teen separated from Indian mother

  • Muhammad Ayan, paralyzed after a spine injury in 2023, was under treatment at New Delhi’s Apollo Hospital, when he and his family were forced to leave India
  • The development came after Pakistan, India asked each other’s nationals to leave following a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists
Updated 27 min 27 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: The governor of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, Kamran Tessori, has pledged to cover the medical expenses of a paralyzed Pakistani teenager who was separated from his Indian mother amid escalating tensions between the two neighboring countries, his office said Thursday, following Arab News’ coverage of the boy’s story.
Seventeen-year-old Muhammad Ayan was being treated at New Delhi’s Apollo Hospital after a spinal injury he sustained during a 2023 gunfight between police and criminals in Karachi. He and his family were forced to leave India after the April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists. India accused Pakistan of backing the assault. Islamabad has strongly denied India’s allegation.
In the wake of the attack, both countries ordered each other’s nationals to leave, exchanged gunfire in Kashmir, and imposed diplomatic restrictions, leaving many families stranded or divided. Among them was Ayan’s family. His Indian mother, Nabeela, was unable to leave with them. The family returned to Karachi while she remained in New Delhi.
“Arab News is doing a good job, you should highlight the problems of the people and keep pointing toward the solution, which you people keep doing, then the problems move toward solution. Ayan’s case is an example of this, you pointed it out and we are trying now,” Tessori told Arab News on Friday.
“If Ayan’s treatment is not possible in Pakistan, then we are also contacting different countries to see where this treatment is possible. God willing, we will get it done wherever it is possible.”
The Pakistani official urged India to put an end to its “war mania,” pointing to several other cases like Ayan’s. There has been no immediate comment from the Indian side on Ayan’s case.

Arab News published a report earlier this week highlighting Ayan’s separation from his mother and the abrupt end to his treatment in India, which prompted Tessori to take action.

“She was separated from us while crying, and we also came here with great difficulty, crying,” Ayan told Arab News, choking back tears.
Ayan’s father, Muhammad Imran, married Nabeela— his maternal cousin and a New Delhi resident— 18 years ago. She had been living in Pakistan on a visa that was periodically renewed, without ever obtaining Pakistani nationality. After the attack, the suspension of visa services invalidated the family’s 45-day Indian medical visa, and Nabeela was left behind.
Imran said he had spent every last rupee in hopes that his son would walk again. But rising bilateral tensions made the family fearful while in India.
“I told them, ‘I’m married [to her],’ I pleaded, cried, and showed a lot of humility,” he said of his conversations with Indian authorities. “But they said, ‘No, write an exit and leave.’”
For Ayan, the trauma of paralysis was compounded by the emotional shock of being separated from his mother.
“I went for treatment with hope, but that hope shattered because of the accident and the fact that my mother couldn’t come with us,” he said. “I was completely separated from a mother’s love. We were far apart; it made me cry.”
Kashmir has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947. The region is divided between the two countries, though both claim it in full. They have fought two of their three wars over the disputed territory.
Since 1989, several Kashmiri groups have carried out attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan. India accuses Pakistan of supporting these groups — a charge Islamabad denies, insisting it offers only diplomatic and political support to Kashmiris.
Ayan’s father thanked Arab News for highlighting his family’s plight.
“They conveyed our words to higher officials, because of which Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori took notice,” he said on Friday.
“I am also very thankful to him, who promised to have my son treated anywhere in the world.”

Topics: Pahalgam attack India Pakistan Ties

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