Pakistan: President Zardari’s daughter Aseefa to make political debut, files nomination for by-polls

Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, the youngest daughter of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, has formally entered the political arena by submitting her nomination for the National Assembly seat that her father has vacated.

Aseefa filed the nomination for by-elections at the NA-207 constituency in the Sindh province on Sunday.

“Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari has submitted her nomination form for NA-207 by-election. Bibi Asifa Bhutto Zardari reached the Returning Officer’s office in Nawabshah and submitted the nomination forms,” the PPP posted on social media platform X.

https://x.com/MediaCellPPP/status/1769280967452017108?s=20

The NA-207 seat was won by her father, Asif Ali Zardari, but he vacated it after becoming president.

It is being speculated that President Zardari will appoint Aseefa Bhutto, as the First Lady of the country, ARY News reported, citing sources. Notably, this will be the first time that a daughter will serve as the First Lady, a position traditionally given to the President’s wife.Aseefa’s mother, Benazir Bhutto Zardari, served as the only female Prime Minister of Pakistan. She was assassinated in a bombing and suicide attack in 2007 in Rawalpindi.Her brother, Bilawal, has previously served as the Foreign Minister of Pakistan n the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government that was formed after Imran Khan’s ouster as premier in April 2022.

This time, however, the PPP has decided to support the Shehbaz Sharif-led government from outside and not become a part of the government.

Earlier, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Zardari was sworn in as the 14th President of Pakistan on Sunday, officially taking over as the head of the state for a historic second time, Dawn reported.

Zardari is the only civilian candidate to have been elected head of state for a second time, excluding the military heads. Earlier, he served as Pakistan’s President from 2008 to 2013.

President Zardari officiated the oath-taking ceremony for Shehbaz Sharif’s 19-member cabinet.

The Pakistan elections were held on February 8. While the independent candidates backed by Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won a maximum of 92 seats; Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won 73 seats and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won 54 seats.

However, the polls were deemed controversial with PTI and several other parties alleging internet shutdowns, riggings and a lack of a ‘level-playing field’.

PPP and PML-N reached an agreement after days of deliberation to finally strike a deal for forming the government in Pakistan.