LARKANA/NAWABSHAH: President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari accompanied by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah arrived in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto village on Friday, first time after taking oath as president of the country, to pay his respects at the Bhuttos’ mausoleum.

He placed wreaths on the graves of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, Begum Nusrat Bhutto, Mir Murtaza Bhutto and Mir Shahnawaz Bhutto and offered fateha amid tight security.

Khursheed Junejo, president of PPP Larkana district and other PPP leaders were also present during his visit to the mausoleum.

Mr Zardari went to his hometown, Nawabshah, after paying respects at the mausoleum.

The president visited his ancestral graveyard Ballu Ja Qubba where he offered fateha and laid wreaths on the graves of his father Hakim Ali Zardari, mother Bilqees Begum and other elders.

The president met Pakistan Peoples Party’s office-bearers at Zardari House. Sources in the party said that the president expressed concern over drop in number of votes polled for the party in Nawabshah city in Feb 8 general election.

The sources said that Mr Zardari was briefed by the party office-bearers on the party’s election performance on polling stations in the city.

The sources confirmed that the president finalised the name of her youngest daughter, Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, as candidate for by-election on NA-207 (Nawabshah-I), which had fallen vacant after Mr Zardari was elected president of Pakistan. . Later, Mr Zardari left Nawabshah for Islam-abad.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2024