Naheed paid no heed

Naheed Khan says PPP has not followed up on Benazir murder case seriously

KARACHI: Over the past decade, many leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) who were very close to Benazir Bhutto have moved away from the party.

While a few joined other political parties, others came up with their own factions. One such leader is Naheed Khan who was very close to Benazir but chose to part ways with the party after Asif Ali Zardari took over the reins.

Naheed, Benazir’s close aide and political secretary, has never minced words to blame the former president for not handling the murder case appropriately.



“It seems like Asif Ali Zardari is twisting the murder case and trying to save the killers who shot and killed Benazir Bhutto,” Naheed told The Express Tribune.

She further criticised how Zardari, who was miles away in Dubai, confirmed that Benazir was killed by a lever and not gunshot.

“I am an eyewitness. Benazir was hit by a bullet and she fell down in a pool of blood and my clothes soaked in her blood,” she said, adding that Zardari had not only sold Benazir’s murder but the PPP too.

“Zardari enjoyed five years in power in the federal government, but did not initiate a proper inquiry into the murder,” she alleged.



Commenting on the Benazir’s will that was disclosed following her death, the estranged PPP leader said that the former prime minister shared everything with her, including her personal life.

“How is it possible that she hid the will from me,” she said.

Zardari, she believes, has ‘encroached upon’ the party.

“He has never been a political leader and nothing has changed yet,” she said, adding that after the Benazir’s death the party had been ruined.

“It was a federal and progressive party, which has now been confined to Sindh only,” said Naheed, adding that the very foundation of the party had been shattered, and it was now being recognised with corruption, favoritism and nepotism.



Regarding her differences with the PPP leadership, she said, “I am a PPP jiyali and will always remain one.”

She added, “How can they expel me from the party! The PPP is not [their] personal entity. It is a political party for which thousands of people have sacrificed their lives.”

Naheed advised Bilawal Bhutto to separate him from the party, free it from the people who had hijacked it, and bring all the estranged leaders back.