ISLAMABAD: Questions have been raised over the inclusion of a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader from Balochistan in President Asif Ali Zardari’s official delegation to China, amid longstanding allegations of land grabbing that his supporters dismiss as politically motivated.
39 پولنگ اسٹیشنز پر گنتی ہوئی تیسرے نمبر والے علی حسن بروہی جیتے۔ 19 دسمبر کو جیت کا نوٹیفکیشن جاری ہوا۔25 دسمبر کو ممبر بلوچستان اسمبلی کا حلف اٹھایا اور 25 کو ہی وزارت کا حلف بھی اٹھالیا۔ 19 سے پہلے تک یہ قبضہ مافیا تھے انکے اشتہار اخباروں میں چھپے ہوئے تھے۔ pic.twitter.com/d4xicOze92
— Muhammad Umair (@MohUmair87) December 25, 2024
President Zardari embarked on a multi-day visit to China starting April 25, expected to continue into early May, as part of engagements marking longstanding bilateral ties, economic cooperation and projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The delegation includes several political figures from Sindh and Balochistan.
Among them is Mir Ali Hasan Zehri — also known as Ali Hasan Brohi — a member of the Balochistan Assembly (PB-21 Hub) and a senior PPP leader in the province. He previously served as Balochistan’s minister for agriculture and cooperatives before stepping down from the cabinet earlier this year.
پاکستان کے وسائل سے مالا مال لیکن غریب ترین صوبے بلوچستان کے ایک ایم پی اے حب کے پروٹوکول کا حال pic.twitter.com/wUH1w2xYXd
— Shahid Hussain (@ShahidHussainJM) December 2, 2025
Originally from Nawabshah (Shaheed Benazirabad) in Sindh, Mr Zehri is said to have adopted his current name after affiliating with the Zehri tribe. He is widely regarded as a close associate of President Zardari and has also served as the party’s spokesperson in Balochistan.
However, his presence in the high-level delegation has drawn criticism due to past allegations linked to land encroachments.
In 2020, the office of the deputy commissioner (West Karachi) issued a public notice naming Mr Zehri — referred to as Ali Hasan Brohi — as a “notorious” individual accused of illegally occupying over 3,000 acres of government and private land through alleged forged documentation. The notice stated that a full inquiry into the matter had been initiated.
While political opponents and some social media users continue to describe him as a frontman linked to a land mafia network, Mr Zehri and his supporters have consistently rejected the accusations, terming them part of a political vendetta.
The issue resurfaced recently after a Karachi-based journalist, Ali Keerio, highlighted Mr Zehri’s inclusion in the China visit through a social media post. The post, which carried a satirical tone, referenced the 2020 notice and included images of Mr Zehri with President Zardari, a copy of the official notice, and a photograph from a development event.
The presidency or PPP leadership has not publicly commented on the criticism surrounding the composition of the delegation.
President Zardari’s visit includes stops in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, and Sanya in Hainan, where meetings are expected to focus on enhancing economic cooperation and commemorating 75 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.
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