Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti (Urdu: ذوالفقار علی بھٹی; born 1 October 1963) is a Pakistani politician who was a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from November 2022 to August 2023, from August 2018 to February 2019, and from June 2013 to May 2018.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti | |
|---|---|
| ذوالفقارعلی بھٹی | |
| Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan | |
| In office 4 November 2022 – 10 August 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Chaudhry Aamir Sultan Cheema |
| Constituency | NA-91 (Sargodha-IV) |
| In office 13 August 2018 – February 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Himself |
| Succeeded by | Chaudhry Aamir Sultan Cheema |
| Constituency | NA-67 (Sargodha-IV) |
| In office 1 June 2013 – 31 May 2018 | |
| Succeeded by | Himself |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 October 1963 |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Political party | PMLN (2013-present) |
Early life
He was born on 1 October 1963.[1]
Political career
He ran for the seat of the National Assembly of Pakistan as a candidate of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) from Constituency NA-67 (Sargodha-IV) in the 2008 Pakistani general election but was unsuccessful. He received 66,392 votes and lost the seat to Anwar Ali Cheema.[2]
He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan as a candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) from Constituency NA-67 (Sargodha-IV) in the 2013 Pakistani general election.[3][4][5][6][7] He received 109,132 votes and defeated Anwar Ali Cheema.[8]
He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency NA-91 (Sargodha-IV) in 2018 Pakistani general election.[9] In August 2018, the Lahore High Court barred the Election Commission of Pakistan (EC) from issuing victory notification for Bhatti after the runner-up candidate Chaudhry Aamir Sultan Cheema moved the ECP and challenged the victory of Bhatti.[10][11] Following which the ECP ordered re-polling in the constituency.[12]
On 2 February, re-polling were held in Constituency NA-91 (Sargodha-IV) in which Bhatti lost the seat to Chaudhry Aamir Sultan Cheema. His membership was consequently revoked in February 2019.[13]
He successfully challenged the re-polling decision in the Supreme Court and his membership was reinstated on 4 November 2022.[14]
As reported by senior Pakistani journalist Matiullah Jan, on June 5, 2024, to show his support to the controversial senator Faisal Vawda, Bhatti attended a contempt of court proceeding along with several other parliamentarians. Presumably, it was at the direction of the Pakistan Army that runs the hybrid democracy in that country and runs almost all affairs of the state from behind the scene. Bhatti was elected to the National assembly under that controversial system in a [[Pakistani rigged 2024 election.|rigged 2024 election.]]