Asif Mahmood

So, Zulfi Bukhari is now delivering speeches at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. Imagine that. The same Zulfi who used to walk through the corridors of power like he owned the place — designer suit, private jets, and a smirk that said, “I’m untouchable.”

Now suddenly, he’s a crusader for democracy. A man of the people. The oppressed. The wronged. The victim. And he’s telling American lawmakers stories of election rigging, censorship, and repression — with the dramatic energy of someone auditioning for a Netflix political thriller.

He made it sound like Pakistan has become North Korea. And that he, poor Zulfi, is our Mandela. Except he forgot to mention one small thing: PTI — his own party — was the one that built the stage for this circus. They’re the ones who weaponised buzzwords like “freedom” and “justice” while doing the exact opposite in power.

Now he’s heartbroken about the 2024 elections? The same elections where over 60 million people voted, where women turned out in record numbers, where international observers literally said “Good job, Pakistan”? But no, Zulfi wasn’t happy with the result. So now the whole system must be rotten.

In PTI logic, elections are only fair when they win. Judges are only honest when they rule in their favour. And media is only “free” when it’s running their press releases like gospel truth.

And then came the tears over military courts. The horror! As if people were being dragged off for retweeting cat memes. Come on. Those trials weren’t about dissent — they were about people burning down army offices, storming GHQ, looting corps commanders’ homes, and vandalising martyrs’ monuments. This wasn’t civil disobedience. It was chaos in PTI colours.

And no, they weren’t kangaroo courts. There were proper legal processes. Defence lawyers. Appeals. Some were even acquitted. How many dictatorships do that?

But let’s be honest — PTI doesn’t want justice. It wants exemption. It wants to riot in the morning and play human rights champion by evening.

This is the same Zulfi who lived the kind of life most Pakistanis can’t even imagine. Private jets. Foreign deals. Government positions handed to him like party favours. Allegations of 50% commissions in shady projects. And now he wants to play the role of a wronged soul fighting for truth? Please.

It’s like a wolf showing up in a sheepskin and accusing the shepherd of cruelty.

Let’s also not forget:

• Pakistan closed the gender gap in voting to just 7.7% — that’s huge.
• Over a million election staff worked around the clock to run the biggest electoral exercise in our history.
• Media houses operated freely — no blackouts, no off-air dramas.
• Pregnant women, elderly citizens, people with disabilities — all were accommodated with special arrangements.

But why mention facts when victimhood sells better in Washington?

Zulfi’s speech wasn’t about human rights. It was about staying relevant. PTI tried to torch the state — and now they’re shocked that the state isn’t applauding.

If the Tom Lantos Commission wants to hear both sides, maybe they should also invite the families of soldiers whose graves were desecrated. Or those who were attacked for simply not agreeing with PTI’s mob rule. Or the voters who braved threats and violence to cast their votes — only to be told it didn’t count because PTI didn’t win.

Zulfi says Pakistan is turning authoritarian. That’s rich, coming from someone who thrived under silence, power, and impunity.

No Zulfi Sahib , Pakistan isn’t becoming authoritarian. It’s just done babysitting the elite who break the law and then cry when the law finally turns around.

You didn’t testify. You performed. Badly.