Zardaris supersede Sharifs with most legislators from same family

LAHORE: After President Asif Ali Zardari’s daughter Aseefa Bhutto Zardari won the by-election on NA-207 unopposed, the Zardaris now hold the record for having the most number of legislators from a family in Pakistani politics.

A day earlier, Aseefa was elected as a member of the National Assembly (MNA) in the Shaheed Benazirabad (former Nawabshah-I) constituency, following which the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) notified her election as an NA lawmaker without any contest.

It is noteworthy to mention here that 11 candidates, including Aseefa, had filed their nomination papers to contest the by-poll on the aforementioned seat vacated by President Zardari who assumed office after being jointly nominated by the ruling coalition.

The Zardari family has, therefore, broken the record of the Sharif family as its now comprises the most number of members from the same family in the country’s parliamentary history.

Both the political families are known for having mostly ruled Pakistan for quite some time, strengthening dynastic politics in the country, as they have been alleged of giving priority to their family members when distributing tickets ahead of elections.

Now Zardari himself is the country's president, his daughter Aseefa, son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and brother-in-law Munawar Ali Talpur are MNAs, while both sisters Faryal Talpur and Azra Pechuho are members of the provincial assembly in Sindh.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's elder brother Mian Nawaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz Sharif have been elected MNAs, while his niece Maryam Nawaz Sharif is the chief minister of Punjab.

Thus, in terms of having the greatest number of family members elected as MNA or MPA, the Zardari family is the first, while the Sharifs stand second.