Schism: Disgruntled PPP workers form new party

Former PPP senator Safdar Abbasi elected as its president

LAHORE: Disgruntled members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) broke off and formed a new organisation by the name of ‘Pakistan Peoples Party Workers’ (PPP-W) on Wednesday.

Former PPP senator and political adviser to former premier Benazir Bhutto, Dr Safdar Ali Abbasi was elected as the president of the organisation.

“Right now, we are calling [PPP-W] an organisation, but we plan on getting it registered as a political party,” Abbasi said. “We will go to all angry, ideological PPP workers. We can’t just let Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his daughter’s legacy to go down the drain,” he added.

“PPP was the party of peasants, workers and labourers… we have to remake it into what it used to be.”

Abbasi said PPP-W will hold conventions in all provinces and then at the divisional level later. “Preparations will start after Muharrram,” he said.

Naheed Khan, a close aide to Benazir, said party workers were very unhappy with the party leadership and had no platform to raise their concerns. “What you see from top isn’t the PPP. Those who are enjoying ministries are not PPP leaders. They have no connections with workers and the party has become empty from the lower level,” she said.

“We had to do something to make our space. When we are not being given any room in the party, we need to get ourselves registered separately and bring old workers to that platform. That’s what we are doing,” she added.

Meanwhile, when asked whether there was any chance of him and Naheed Khan to do their struggle while living within the party, Abbasi replied, “The main issue is the PPP crisis. Who is the chairman of the party? Constitutionally Asif Ali Zardari cannot do any political activities till September 2015. I put three conditions before Bilawal that can save this party and its workers. He should indentify policies of BB and ZAB.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2014.