Burying the hatchet: PPP stalwarts Arbab Alamgir, Zahir Shah dispel reports of dissent

Say they have jointly struggled for the party’s cause in the past.

PESHAWAR: In a public show of empathy, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) stalwarts from Peshawar Arbab Alamgir Khan Khalil and Syed Zahir Ali Shah on Monday buried the hatchet after attending a meeting of the party’s local chapter.

The meeting was arranged by PPP’s district chapter to discuss the strategy for local government (LG) elections, price hike and the law and order situation. Party leaders from the district, city, ward and union councils attended the moot.

During the meeting, Khalil and Shah – who have had their differences in the past – shook hands to dispel the view that there was any rift between them.

Former minister for communication, Khalil arrived towards the end of the programme and was made to sit next to Shah, who has served as the party’s provincial president in the past. PPP’s Peshawar president Zulfiqar Afghani then asked both the men to shake hands in front of the camera.



In his speech, Shah reiterated he has no differences with anyone and that he and Khalil had jointly struggled for the party’s cause. He stressed it was time to unite to win over voters ahead of the upcoming local government polls in the province.

He also shared the party leadership has decided to allow district chapters to enter into electoral partnerships with other parties for the LG polls, adding the chapters will be responsible for awarding party tickets to candidates.

Khalil, on the other hand, was less appeasing in his address. He told participants of the gathering all was not well, adding PPP’s senior leadership was mistaken about him creating factions within the party. “I am going to raise this issue with the party’s higher-ups in a few days,” he urged.

Khalil went on to say he was not invited for certain meetings after which there were news reports indicating differences within the party. “I will not attend any function uninvited.”

Questioning who was behind the rumours, Khalil also clarified he had nothing against PPP’s provincial president Khanzada Khan. He added he had assured Khan of his full support.

Khalil said he had no qualms about accepting his mistakes which led to the defeat in the May 11 general elections, adding he does not attribute the dismal performance of the party to the intervention of agencies. He added he would convene a party meeting at his residence after Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary.

PPP Peshawar district president Tehmash Khan, city president Zulfiqar Afghani, secretary coordination Syed Ayub Shah, MPA Nighat Orakzai and other leaders also spoke on the occasion. They discussed preparations for the local bodies’ elections and the December 20 sit-in against price hike and deteriorating law and order.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2013.