Locus of power shifting to unelected elements, says Zardari

E-Paper | May 03, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Zardari has warned that the locus of power is fast shifting away from people to unelected elements, asking the nation to foil designs of religious fanatics and extremists to destroy the country’s democratic structure.

“Let us on this day pledge to stand together in foiling the designs of the religious fanatics and extremists who are out to destroy the democratic structure of the state,” Mr Zardari said in his message issued by the party’s media office on Monday on the eve of the 38th death anniversary of the party’s founding chairman and Pakistan’s first directly-elected prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Mr Zardari said that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a visionary leader who made the people of Pakistan the locus of all political power “but the thought that bites the soul on his martyrdom anniversary is that the locus of power is fast shifting away from the people towards unelected elements”.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2017

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muhammad zafar iqbal

Apr 04, 2017 10:43am

Z.A.Bhuto had never done corruption and had never advised to their Party stalwarts to indulge in the corrupt practices, so Mr.Zardari should adopt his advise and then ask about the philosophy of Z.A Bhuto.

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fayed

Apr 04, 2017 10:45am

locus of corruption is coming to an end

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Pakistani-Khi

Apr 04, 2017 10:47am

enough is enough... let us forget the past..for those who cannot be considered hero of nation..let us remember the real heroes who gave us a Country and let us focus on new faces...tired of your and current leading parties, same repeated slogans and promises..nothing done yet..just simply nothing...and if you people done something good...have made the country into huge debts... We will take extreme precautions now, to vote in coming elections!!

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Astronaut

Apr 04, 2017 10:53am

So true. Always giving the message of sheer intellect. Knows what to do and how to do.

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Astronaut

Apr 04, 2017 10:55am

The only politician who's statements have meaning and message.

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Astronaut

Apr 04, 2017 11:02am

The Engineer of democratic stability in the country.

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Apr 04, 2017 11:03am

Mr Zardari perhaps feels that the sole act of voting by the corralled populace makes us a democratic country. Our political leaders have unashamedly turned our Parliament into a trading institution. And then they cynically harp on threats to their faux "democracy" ad nauseam. Such hypocrisy must stop.

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sher Jang Gilgit

Apr 04, 2017 11:42am

If the locus of power is shifting towards the non elected people it is due the inefficiency of the political leaders themselves and the acceptance of Mr. Zadari is tantamount to own that failure. Had there been the outcomes delivered by the political leaders as expected by the downtroden masses, people would have been pinned greater hope in democratic setups instead of having recourse towards religious elements. Instead of spewing rhetoric in order to hoodwinking the general public it would be far better for Mr.Zardari to shun old traditional ways of dealing with the issues which are urgently needed to be tackled such as the education, health, local government, rising unemployement etc in Sindh province. People have already witnessed the way you have managed the affairs of of the country in a way now part of the political history of the country and unable to still come out the shock of enduring it for the last PPP government. .

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Astronaut

Apr 04, 2017 01:28pm

The future generations will admire the efforts of AA Zardari for bringing and continuation of political stability.

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