In this episode of FO° Podcasts, Fair Observer’s Editor-in-Chief Atul Singh speaks to retired US Treasury economist Nasir Khilji about controversial Pakistani leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. They discuss Bhutto’s rise to power, his role in creating Bangladesh, and the events leading to his eventual downfall. They answer an abiding question: was Bhutto a hero or a villain, or a bit of both?

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a Pakistani politician who was the fourth president of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973 and the ninth prime minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977. During his time as a legislator, he founded the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), a social-democratic political party in Pakistan, promoting social democracy, equality, and social justice, along with maintaining a strong military. Bhutto also declared Ahmedi non-Muslims, allowed feudal lords into the political system, and destroyed bureaucracy and state ventures. Two opposing narratives surround Bhutto’s reputation as a leader on this episode of FO° Podcasts. One narrative sees him as a great hero of Pakistan who was unfairly killed by a murderous military dictator. The other paints him as a villain who destroyed the economy and established a corrupt dynasty that is still looting Pakistan. Nasir Khilji takes a step back, takes a deep breath and examines Bhutto’s legacy.

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"Loopster" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/