Rahmatullah Buriro
In the politics of Pakistan, there are characters who are products of circumstances, but there are also characters who themselves create circumstances. Asif Ali Zardari is a beautiful amalgamation of both types of characters. His opponents used to call him “Mr. Ten Percent,” but time has proven that he is “Mr. Ninety Percent” – the king of reconciliation. The man who saw the walls of prison for 11 years, whose body bears marks of torture, when he came to power, taught not revenge but reconciliation.
The 18th Amendment – A Constitutional Revolution:
The brightest chapter of Asif Zardari’s politics is the 18th Amendment. In the 77-year history of Pakistan, no President has ever voluntarily transferred his powers to the Parliament. Dictators like General Musharraf kept subverting the Constitution to usurp powers, but in 2010, Zardari abolished the black law like Article 58-2(B) and made the Presidency a symbolic office. That is the very reason why today the Parliament is supreme.
Through this amendment, he gave autonomy to smaller provinces, including Sindh. Around 47 departments like education, health, labour, and environment were transferred from the federation to the provinces. In the NFC Award, the share of provinces was increased from 46 percent to 57 percent, the biggest beneficiary of which was Sindh. If today the Sindh government takes its decisions on its own, behind it is the protection of the 18th Amendment.
Sindh – The Impregnable Fort of the Peoples Party.
The biggest proof of Mr. Zardari’s political strategy is Sindh. From 2008 till today, 2026, there has been a continuous government of the Peoples Party in Sindh. This is no miracle; it is the result of organizational structuring, contact with workers, and public politics. At this moment, in the politics of Sindh at the level of the National Assembly, no such influential parliamentary character is emerging who can shake this political fort built by Mr. Zardari.
When the opposition thinks that the Peoples Party will become weak in Sindh, in every election the party wins with even more seats. The secret behind it is that Mr. Zardari gave the people of Sindh employment, the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), and projects like Thar Coal. The dream of generating electricity from Thar coal, which was in files for decades, was materialized during the Zardari era.
From Punjab to Balochistan – The Guarantor of National Unity:
Zardari’s politics is not limited to Sindh alone. He is the only politician whose role is visible in the balance of power from Punjab to Balochistan.
In Punjab, he saved democracy from derailing by working together with Nawaz Sharif. When Governor’s Rule was imposed in 2009, he said, “Democracy is the best revenge.”
In Balochistan, where there was a demand for a military operation, he announced “Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan” and amnesty. Even today, if the Peoples Party is part of the government in Balochistan, it is the result of Zardari’s personal and respectful relationship with the Baloch leadership.
At the national level, he laid the foundation of CPEC, on which the country’s economy stands today. Courageous decisions like the Pak-Iran gas pipeline and handing over Gwadar Port to China were taken by him, without succumbing to any pressure.
The Teacher of Parliamentary Supremacy:
Today, when Asif Ali Zardari is the President of Pakistan for the second time, he is once again proving that the President is the guardian of the Constitution, not the ruler. In his presidency, he never ran an ordinance factory; he sent every matter to the Parliament.
The opponents should learn from Zardari’s politics how to do politics with patience despite jail, exile, cases, and character assassination. Today, when there is political instability in the country, every eye is on the Presidency, because everyone knows that the last door of reconciliation is still the Zardari House.
That is why we say without fear that the name of Sindh’s survival, continuity of democracy, and supremacy of Parliament is Asif Ali Zardari.
Long Live Asif Zardari, Long Live Democracy.
