Asif Ali Zardari set to return as Pakistan president

Former President of Pakistan and President of Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP), Asif Ali Zardari gestures towards supporters during a campaign rally for the 2024 general elections in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh village, Larkana, Pakistan on December 27, 2023.
Short Url
Updated 09 March 2024
Follow

Asif Ali Zardari set to return as Pakistan president

  • Between 2008 and 2013, he ushered in constitutional reforms, and the 68-year-old’s second term will see him steer a largely ceremonial office
  • He has spent more than 11 years in jail, a long time even by the standards of Pakistani politicians, with a wheeler-dealer’s talent for bouncing back

ISLAMABAD: Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of Pakistan’s slain first female premier Benazir Bhutto who has had a life storied equally by tragedy and farce, is set to become president for a second time on Saturday.

Initially a background character as Bhutto’s consort, Zardari was stained by a bevy of corruption and other allegations, including absurd kidnapping plots and taking kickbacks lavished on hoards of jewelry.

Despite a reputation as “Mr. Ten Percent” — the alleged cut he took for rubber-stamping contracts — a sympathy vote propelled him to office when his wife was assassinated in a 2007 bomb and gun attack.

Between 2008 and 2013, he ushered in constitutional reforms rolling back presidential powers, and the 68-year-old’s second term will see him steer a largely ceremonial office.




Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto (L) rests inside the presidential car with husband Asif Ali Zardari cuddling their baby son Bilawal shortly after their arrival in Kuala Lumpur on October 17, 1989 to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

He has spent more than 11 years in jail, a long time even by the standards of Pakistani politicians, with a wheeler-dealer’s talent for bouncing back after scandals.

Back in 2009, the New York Times said he had a knack for “artful dodging” — “maneuvering himself out of the tight spots he gets himself into.”

Newly sworn-in lawmakers were set to vote him in under the terms of a coalition deal brokered after February 8 elections marred by rigging claims.

Under that deal, Zardari’s Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will take the presidency, while its historic rivals the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party secured the prime minister’s position for Shehbaz Sharif, who was officially sworn in on Monday.

Zardari was born in 1955 into a land-owning family from the southern province of Sindh.




Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (L) chats with his father and Pakistan's former president Asif Ali Zardari (R) prior to presenting their party manifesto for the forthcoming general election during a press conference in Islamabad on June 28, 2018. (AFP/File)

“As a child, I was spoilt by my parents as an only son,” he said in a 2000 interview with the Guardian newspaper. “They indulged my every whim.”

He expressed only limited political ambitions as a young man — losing a 1983 local government election.

It was his 1987 arranged marriage with PPP leader Benazir Bhutto that earned him a spot in the political limelight.

Their union — brokered by Bhutto’s mother — was considered an unlikely pairing for a leader-in-waiting from one of Pakistan’s major political dynasties.

Bhutto was an Oxford and Harvard graduate driven by the desire to oust then-president Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq, who forced her father from the prime minister’s office and had him executed.




Pakistani People's Party (PPP) leader, Benazir Bhutto (R) is seen during her wedding where she is getting married to Asif Ali Zardari in Karachi December 18, 1987. (AFP/File)

Zardari was a university dropout with a reputation for brawling, partying and romancing women at a private disco in his family home.

On the eve of their wedding, Bhutto’s team issued a formal statement denying he was “a playboy who plays polo by day and frequents discos at night.”

Their nuptial celebrations were dubbed the “people’s wedding” — doubling as a political rally in the megacity of Karachi, where a crowd of 100,000 fervently chanted PPP slogans.

Initially, Zardari pledged to keep out of politics.

Bhutto served as prime minister from 1988 to 1990 — the first woman to head a democratic government in a Muslim country — and again from 1993 to 1996.

PPP insiders regarded Zardari as a liability, considering him likely to embarrass her leadership.

Their fears were perhaps well-founded. In 1990, he was embroiled in accusations of an absurd plot to extort a businessman by tying a bomb to his leg.

He was jailed for three years on extortion and kidnapping charges but was elected to the national assembly from behind bars.

In Bhutto’s second term, he served as investment minister.




Pakistan's new President Asif Ali Zardari stands in front of a portrait of his slain wife Benazir Bhutto and waves as he arrives for a joint press conference at The Presidential Palace in Islamabad on September 9, 2008. (AFP/File)

A bombshell New York Times investigation detailed how he tried to engineer vast kickbacks on military contracts over this period while lavishing huge sums on jewelry.

After Bhutto’s government fell in 1996, Zardari was back behind bars within half an hour.

In December 2007, Bhutto was assassinated while on the campaign trail for a third term in office.

Her killing shook the nation to its core, a wave of sympathy carrying the PPP to victory in 2008. The party nominated Zardari as president.

In 2010, he was widely criticized for continuing a European holiday when the nation was devastated by floods that killed almost 1,800 and affected 21 million.

He was also head of state when US commandos trespassed onto Pakistani soil for the 2011 assassination of Osama Bin Laden, an episode that humiliated many compatriots.

He did, however, usher in constitutional reforms rolling back the sweeping powers of the presidency and bolstering parliamentary democracy that had been undermined by three decades of military rule since 1947.

In 2013, Zardari became the first Pakistani president to complete his full term.

He was jailed once again over money laundering charges in 2019 but was released months later.

Zardari and Benazir had three children, including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the current chairman of the PPP.


Pope Leo XIV welcomes India-Pakistan ceasefire in first Sunday message 

Updated 6 sec ago
Follow

Pope Leo XIV welcomes India-Pakistan ceasefire in first Sunday message 

  • New pope calls for lasting, “authentic” peace in Ukraine and a ceasefire in Gaza
  • Pakistan struck Indian military bases with missiles on Saturday, widening fears of war

VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV appealed to the world’s major powers for “no more war” in his first Sunday message to crowds in St. Peter’s Square since his election as pontiff.

The new pope, elected on May 8, called for an “authentic and lasting peace” in Ukraine and a ceasefire in Gaza and release of all Israeli hostages.

Leo also welcomed the recent ceasefire between India and Pakistan, and said he was praying to God to grant the world the “miracle of peace.”

“No more war!” the pope said, repeating a frequent call of the late Pope Francis and noting the recent 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, which killed some 60 million people.

Leo said today’s world was living through “the dramatic scenario of a Third World War being fought piecemeal,” again repeating a phrase coined by Francis.

The new pope said he carries in his heart the “suffering of the beloved people of Ukraine.” He appealed for negotiations to reach an “authentic, just and lasting peace.”

He also said he was “profoundly saddened” by the war in Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian aid and release of the remaining hostages held by the militant group Hamas.

Leo said he was glad to hear of the recent India-Pakistan ceasefire and hoped negotiations would lead to a lasting accord between the nuclear armed neighbors.

He added: “But there are so many other conflicts in the world!“


Azad Kashmir says India’s cross-border shelling killed 31 in last four days

Updated 8 min 17 sec ago
Follow

Azad Kashmir says India’s cross-border shelling killed 31 in last four days

  • Eleven people were killed in district Kotli while six each were killed in districts Bhimber and Poonch
  • India and Pakistan agreed to an uneasy ceasefire brokered by the United States on Saturday evening

ISLAMABAD: At least 31 people were killed and 123 injured in the last four days due to cross-border firing by Indian forces, Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s disaster management authority said on Sunday. 

Indian and Pakistani troops have exchanged heavy fire along the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border dividing the disputed Himalayan Kashmir territory between India and Pakistan, since tensions escalated last month. 

Tensions surged between the nuclear-armed neighbors this week when India fired missiles at what it said were “terrorist” camps in Pakistan, killing several people. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for an Apr. 22 attack at a tourist resort in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26, charges that Islamabad denied. Pakistan said Indian strikes on Wednesday killed several civilians, vowing retaliation. 

Pakistan’s military launched retaliatory strikes against India on Saturday morning in response to what it said were drone and missile strikes on Pakistani air bases during the wee hours of Friday. Both countries have since then agreed to a ceasefire brokered by the United States and encouraged by other countries. 

“Thirty-one people were killed in Azad Kashmir’s ten districts during the last four days during the India-Pakistan war,” Azad Kashmir’s State Disaster Management Authority said in a situation report. 

Giving a breakdown of the figures, the report said 11 people were killed in Kotli district while six each died in districts Bhimber and Poonch. Three people were killed in Muzaffarabad district while two were killed in Neelum. 

The report said 287 houses and 21 shops were damaged due to shelling in the past four days while 22 cattle were killed. 

Within hours of the ceasefire announcement on Saturday, India accused Islamabad of violating it by targeting Srinagar city in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Ata Tarar denied the allegation, saying people in his country were celebrating the end of the conflict and the government remained committed to the agreement.

The foreign office of Pakistan also maintained the country remained committed to the “faithful implementation” of the ceasefire.


Pakistani health tech platform raises $6 million to expand across GCC

Updated 11 May 2025
Follow

Pakistani health tech platform raises $6 million to expand across GCC

  • Founded in 2020, MedIQ says it provides convenient on-demand and cashless walk-in services to its customers
  • MedIQ says will use funding to strengthen technology stack, scale operations in Kingdom’s health tech market

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan-based health tech platform MedIQ recently announced it has raised $6 million in a series A funding round led by Saudi Arabia’s venture capital Rasmal Ventures and the Kingdom’s investment company, Joa Capital. 

MedIQ was founded by Dr. Saira Siddiqui, a doctor who holds a PhD in Health Economics from the University of Yorkshire, in 2020 in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad. 

The startup aims to redefine health care through a digitally enabled hybrid ecosystem and is currently operating in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Canada.

“This over-subscribed round signals strong investor confidence in our accelerated market traction, validates our excellence in engineering to support in becoming the leading health tech player in MENA, and reinforces the great experience our customers have with MedIQ Solutions,” the platform said in a LinkedIn post on May 4. 

“With fresh capital, a focused team, and a purpose-driven founder, MedIQ is now primed to scale across the GCC to become a regional leader,” it added. 

The company, which expanded into Saudi Arabia in 2023, said it will use the funding to strengthen its technology stack, scale operations in the Kingdom’s health tech market and support entry into Qatar and neighboring Gulf markets.

In an interview with Arab News in 2023, Dr. Siddiqui expressed her desire to see the platform expand across GCC countries. 

Siddiqui had said women were the bulk users of MedIQ’s products as it is usually hard for them to visit hospitals without male companions in Pakistan and the Middle East. 

“According to the figures which we have, about 74 percent of our users are women and [the] women having children or dependents such as older parents,” she had said.


IPL chiefs in talks about restart following India-Pakistan ceasefire— reports 

Updated 11 May 2025
Follow

IPL chiefs in talks about restart following India-Pakistan ceasefire— reports 

  • Indian Premier League was suspended for a week on Friday after tensions spiked between India, Pakistan
  • There are 12 regular season games remaining to be played followed by three playoff matches and the final

NEW DELHI: India cricket board officials were reported to be meeting Sunday to discuss a quick resumption of the IPL, following India and Pakistan agreeing a ceasefire in their deadly border conflict.

Nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan called a halt to hostilities on Saturday and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia told website cricbuzz they were “closely monitoring the evolving situation.”

Saikia added they will “take a call on IPL resumption after consulting all stakeholders of IPL and the concerned government authorities.”

Rajeev Shukla, vice president of the BCCI, told Indian media that officials would meet on Sunday to decide the future course of action.

The Indian Premier League was on Friday suspended for a week, a day after a match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capital was abandoned in Dharamsala, less than 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the northern city of Jammu, where explosions were reported hours earlier.

A special train was arranged for players to return to Delhi on Friday as airspace was closed, while overseas stars began to head home on Saturday.

Teams on Sunday were reported to be contacting their overseas players and coaching staff about returning, with website ESPNcricinfo saying the IPL could restart around May 15 if given the go-ahead by the government.

There are 12 regular season games remaining to be played followed by three playoff matches and the final, originally scheduled for May 25.

India and Pakistan have fought two of their three full-scale wars over Kashmir, a disputed territory that both claim in full but administer separate portions of since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.

New Delhi launched missile strikes on Wednesday morning in retaliation for a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-run Kashmir two weeks ago that India blames on Pakistan.

Islamabad has denied any involvement.

At least 60 people have been killed on both sides of the border since Wednesday, in the worst violence in decades between the South Asian neighbors.


FACTBOX: The Himalayan region of Kashmir, at the heart of India-Pakistan enmity

Updated 11 May 2025
Follow

FACTBOX: The Himalayan region of Kashmir, at the heart of India-Pakistan enmity

  • Kashmir has been site of several wars and diplomatic standoffs between India and Pakistan 
  • India accuses Pakistan of arming and training militants, an allegation Islamabad has denied 

NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan agreed to stop firing along their border on Saturday, bringing an end to the escalated tensions between the two arch-rivals after multiple
strikes were launched against military bases.

The Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir, which is claimed in full by both India and Pakistan, has been the site of several wars and diplomatic standoffs.

Here is a look at the region, its history, and why it continues to be a source of tension between the two countries:

PARTITION AND ACCESSION 

After partition of the subcontinent in 1947 following independence from British rule, Kashmir was expected to become part of Pakistan, as with other Muslim-majority regions. 

Its Hindu ruler wanted it to stay independent but, faced with an invasion by Muslim tribesmen from Pakistan, acceded to India in October 1947 in return for help against the invaders.

GEOGRAPHY AND DEMOGRAPHICS 

Kashmir ended up divided among Hindu-majority India, which governs the Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Ladakh; Islamic Pakistan, which controls Azad Kashmir (“Free Kashmir“) and the Northern Areas; and China, which holds the Aksai Chin region. Indian-administered Kashmir has a population of around 7 million, of whom nearly 70 percent are Muslim.

ARTICLE 370 

A provision of the Indian constitution, Article 370, provided for partial autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir. It was drafted in 1947 by the then-prime minister of the state, Sheikh Abdullah, and accepted by India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Although intended as temporary, it was included in India’s Constitution in 1949 by the constituent assembly.

WARS AND MILITARY STANDOFFS 

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence, two of them over Kashmir in 1947 and 1965. A third in 1971 led to the creation of Bangladesh. In 1999, they clashed again in the Kargil region in what was described as an undeclared war. A UN-brokered ceasefire line, the Line of Control, now divides the region.

THE INSURGENCY 

Many Muslims in Indian Kashmir have long resented what they see as heavy-handed rule by India. In 1989, that bubbled over into an insurgency by Muslim separatists. India poured troops into the region and tens of thousands of people have been killed.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training militants, which Islamabad denies, saying it offers only moral and diplomatic support.

REVOKING OF SPECIAL STATUS 

In August 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Indian government revoked Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status in a move it said would better integrate the region with the rest of India. The state was reorganized into two federally administered union territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Pakistan strongly objected, downgrading diplomatic ties.

RECENT YEARS 

Modi says his 2019 decision brought normality to Kashmir after decades of bloodshed. Violence has tapered off in recent years, according to Indian officials, with fewer large-scale attacks and rising tourist arrivals. Targeted killings of civilians and security forces are still reported, however.

2024 ELECTIONS 

In 2024, Jammu and Kashmir held its first local elections since the 2019 revocation of autonomy. Several newly elected lawmakers urged a partial restoration of Article 370. Key regional parties boycotted or criticized the vote, saying the winners would not get any real political power.

2025

Tensions escalated after an attack on April 22 in the resort town of Pahalgam in Indian Kashmir in which 26 men, mostly Hindus, were killed. India identified two of the three suspected militants as Pakistanis, although Islamabad denied any role.

Among a slew of tit-for-tat reprisals, India suspended the 1960 Indus Water Treaty regulating the sharing of water from the river and its tributaries.

India launched attacks on May 7 on what it said were “terrorist camps” in Pakistan, including in Pakistani Kashmir.

Strikes and counterstrikes against each side’s military installations followed. On Saturday, May 10, after concerted US diplomacy and pressure, the two nations said they had agreed to a “full and immediate ceasefire.”