Divided they fall: Disunity apparent in PPP foundation day celebrations

Local leaders lament party now only limited to interior Sindh

PESHAWAR:

Celebrations for the 48th foundation day of the Pakistan People Party (PPP) were divided on Monday.  Local leaders and workers vocalised their distress over the party’s current standing and pinned the responsibility on provincial leaders.

From all 70 wards of the city, only a few hundred workers gathered to cut the cake at a local wedding hall in Sarkai.However, the few who attended were filled with enthusiasm as they remembered the party’s founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.



Due to disunity among the party leadership, another group, led by provincial president Khanzada Khan, gathered at the hujra of Malik Tahmash Khan to celebrate the day.

The party not only failed to get any major success in the general and local government elections, but the growing disunity among leaders has further hurt its interests.

At Sarkai hall

“This is all because of lack of strong leadership,” stressed Said Ayub Shah in his speech. “The central leadership is supporting a few individuals in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.” He added a party with such a glorious past was sadly limited only to interior Sindh.

The party’s stance over rights of the people since the 70s has seen it emerge victorious in many a general election, but disunity in K-P is seeing it on the verge of collapse in the province.

Activists say the party chairman has once again started consultations on PPP’s revival, but only a few individuals had been contacted and “real leaders had been ignored”.

Party leaders are divided into two groups. Some support the provincial leadership and others in Peshawar believe the former is responsible for losses in the elections.

“We should not have made alliances with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and Awami National Party in local government elections,” said PPP Peshawar President Zulfiqar Afghani. “Both parties betrayed us.” Afghani has been associated with PPP since its inception and told workers the only leader who is acceptable  is Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.  He added only Bilawal could rectify the current situation.



Syed Zahir Shah, politician and former minister, said it was necessary to change policies and slogans.

“We cannot go into elections with the old slogan of roti, kapra and makaan,” said Shah. “Times have changed; we have to devise new slogans and policies, which suit the present circumstances.” Shah added the youth should be given the opportunity to take the reins of the party

The other side

In the gathering at the hujra of Malik Tahmash Khan, PPP K-P President Khanzada Khan and other leaders spoke to their supporters.  They also discussed the prevailing situation of the party and stressed on the need for unity to bring back the days of yore.

“Differences are nothing new as they are always there in a democratic party; soon all will be resolved,” said Khanzada. He added the provincial leadership took all decisions with the support of the central leadership of PPP.

Celebrations across K-P

Meanwhile, PPP activists celebrated the party’s foundation day and paid tribute to the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on Monday in Bannu. Workers marked the day with the cutting of a cake at the party’s district secretariat.



In Swabi, party workers also celebrated the day.  “PPP is still a popular party in the country,” said PPP leader Advocate Javed Iqbal Inquilabi. “The party will continue its struggle for the rights of oppressed people in the country.”

Over in Mardan, workers gathered at the party office. Khanzada Khan also attended these celebrations along with former senior minister Rahim Dad Khan, district president Nawabzada Aurangzeb Khan Hoti, general secretary Zahir Payenda Khel and members of Peoples Youth Organisation.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st,  2015.