In this episode of pplpod, we examine the turbulent life and legacy of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the charismatic founder of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) who served as both the fourth president and ninth prime minister of Pakistan. We trace his rise to power following the tragic 1971 civil war and the separation of East Pakistan, where he became the country’s first civilian Chief Martial Law Administrator.

We explore Bhutto's major political contributions, including his role as the architect of the 1973 Constitution and his diplomatic success with the Simla Agreement, which secured the release of 93,000 prisoners of war and regained territory from India. The episode also delves into his aggressive pursuit of national defense, earning him the title of the "father" of Pakistan's nuclear deterrence program, a project he declared a national priority even if the population had to "eat grass" to fund it.

Finally, we discuss his controversial socialist economic reforms, the internal unrest that plagued his final years, and his ultimate overthrow in a 1977 military coup led by General Zia-ul-Haq. Tune in to understand the dramatic trial and execution of the man known as Quaid-e-Awām ("The People's Leader"), a polarizing figure whose death sentence was widely condemned as a "judicial murder".