In recent weeks, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Jr has been seen actively engaging with students, artists and civil society across Karachi. During a Gaza solidarity event, several of my university colleagues met him and found his presence compelling, not because of his famous surname, but because of his humility, empathy and attentiveness. In a political landscape often shaped by arrogance and detachment, his approach felt refreshingly human.
What distinguishes Bhutto Jr is not rhetoric but action. He has long championed environmental and human rights causes, be it protecting the Indus River and the endangered Indus Blind Dolphin or standing with marginalised communities. His refusal to participate in international cultural events as a protest against injustice shows a rare moral clarity. In an age where political gestures are often shaped by calculation rather than conscience, this stands out.
His educational journey from the University of Edinburgh to the San Francisco Art Institute has equipped him with a global perspective, yet he remains deeply rooted in his Sindhi identity. His artistic work, exploring themes of gender, resistance and faith, reflects a nuanced understanding of intersectionality. He embodies a vision of politics grounded in activism, art and awareness far removed from dynastic posturing.
Importantly, Zulfikar Jr is not alone. His sister, Fatima Bhutto, though less visible in Pakistan’s political scene, remains a formidable thinker, author and critic of state excess. Together, they represent a Bhutto legacy that is not anchored in feudalism or nostalgia, but in education, dialogue and principled dissent.
At a time when Pakistan’s politics is burdened by polarisation, populism and patriarchal power structures, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Jr offers a quiet but potent alternative. His presence reminds us that meaningful change doesn’t always come from grand speeches or party rallies, but from listening, learning and standing up, softly but firmly, for justice.
In reimagining what the Bhutto name can mean today, Zulfikar Jr is carving a path rooted not in inheritance, but in integrity.
Dr Intikhab Ulfat
Karachi
