Senator Taj Haider was a principled Bhuttoist and a moderate leftist, committed to gradual societal change through democratic means.
A Fabian socialist, he believed in reform through an evolutionary process rather than the violent revolution espoused by Marxist extremists.
While Marxist leaders like Lenin and Mao favored revolution through the bullet, Fabianism—championed by figures such as Annie Besant—emphasized reform through the ballot and democratic institutions.
The Fabian Society, a British socialist organization, promotes social democracy and democratic socialism through patient, reformist strategies.
Unlike Marxism, which advocates for one-party rule and the dictatorship of the proletariat, Fabian socialism aligns with democratic ideals.
Bertrand Russell, the great British philosopher, criticized Marxian socialism in his writings, especially in The Road to Serfdom, in which he likened communist regimes to iron-barred prisons and viewed Marxist systems as modern forms of serfdom.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, too, was not a Marxist.
He subscribed to Fabian ideals, advocating what came to be known in Pakistan as Islamic socialism—a concept grounded in democratic welfare and Islamic values.
Pakistan’s founding father also spoke of Islamic socialism, emphasizing the creation of a just, democratic society rooted in Islamic principles.
Some senior PPP leaders like J.A.Rahim and Meraj Muhammad Khan pushed for Marxist policies, insisting on one-party rule and revolutionary methods.Mr.Bhutto rejected this, insisting that Pakistan, as an Islamic democracy, must move forward through the ballot, not the bullet.
Those hardliners were eventually removed from the cabinet.
Senator Taj Haider, however, remained firm in his understanding of the distinction between Marxist and Fabian socialism.
He stood unwaveringly by Bhutto and his vision, becoming one of the few who never deviated from the original mission of the Pakistan People’s Party.
His loyalty to the Bhutto family and their ideals continued until his final breath.
Beyond politics, Senator Haider was also a literary figure.
Fluent in both English and Urdu, he admired classical poets like Mir Taqi Mir and contributed insightful columns to English newspapers.
Free from ethnic or linguistic bias, he epitomized a cultured, broad-minded intellectual.
After Mr.Bhutto’s judicial murder, many in the PPP left the party out of fear or opportunism during General Zia-ul-Haq’s regime.
Some even formed splinter groups, forsaking Bhutto’s legacy.
Yet Senator Taj Haider stayed loyal, standing tall amidst adversity and repression.
I feel honoured that Senator Haider reviewed my book The Ideals of Bhutto, published by the National Book Foundation in 2011.
The book includes messages from Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and President Asif Ali Zardari.
Mohtarma had personally asked me in 2005, in New York, to write a comprehensive English-language book defending her father’s legacy.
The first edition came out in 2007.
Senator Haider graciously wrote:
“The Ideals of Bhutto by Dr.Maqsood Jafri is a story of toil and tears, of long years of valiant struggle for the rights and freedom of the people of Pakistan, courageously led by visionaries Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and his brave and resolute daughter Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.
No doubt this is a story that must be told.”
Taj Haider’s death is a great personal and national loss.
May his soul rest in peace, and may his family find strength in this difficult hour.
—The writer is a contributing columnist, based in New York. (drmaqsoodjafri@gmail.com)
