A sad day for democracy: PPP

PPP will act as formidable opposition in Punjab: top leaders.


Zahid Gishkori February 26, 2011

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party has termed the PML-N decision to expel its ministers from the Punjab government a ‘sad day for democracy’ and declared it would play the role of an effective opposition in the province.

An hour after PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif announced they were parting ways with the PPP in Punjab, PPP central leaders flanked by members of the Punjab cabinet addressed a news conference to forcefully refute the charges levelled against their leadership.

The PML-N decision is against the spirit of the Charter of Democracy (CoD) the two parties had signed in 2006, according to the  PPP. The CoD was instrumental in forging an alliance between the two main political parties in Pakistan after the 2008 general elections. The two parties began the first parliamentary year after the return of their leaders from exile with an alliance at the centre and in Punjab. The PML-N opted out of the federal government within months but remained in an uneasy alliance in Punjab till the present stand-off.

“We would like to emerge as an effective opposition and hold the Punjab government accountable. The PPP will promote issue-based politics,” said Federal Minister for Interprovincial Coordination Senator Raza Rabbani, the cool-minded veteran leader of the PPP, during the joint press conference held in Islamabad.

Law minister Babar Awan reacted more aggressively and accused the PML-N of indulging in the ‘politics of ‘Changa Manga,’ a reference to the politics of the 90s during which the two parties encouraged ‘horse trading,’ winning over their opponents’ loyalties through lucrative offers.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will forge ahead with the national agenda and the process of reconciliation initiated by the late chairperson Benazir Bhutto. The PPP will not resort to politics of confrontation, the party leaders maintained. The ministers vowed the party would complete its five-year tenure, while replying to a query pertaining to midterm elections.

“We accept the PML-N’s decision to oust our ‘democratic ministers’. At the same time should I congratulate the PML-N for accepting turncoats in its fold?” Awan questioned sarcastically.

Raza Rabbani expressed the hope the PML-N leadership would abide by the spirit of Article 63-A that bars members of legislative assemblies from voting against the will of the party leadership on whose ticket they have been elected.

After PPP’s ouster from the Punjab government, the PML-N now requires the support of around two dozen provincial legislators to maintain a simple majority in the Punjab Assembly. The PML-N already had a contingency plan for drawing on the support of the 47-member unification bloc, a breakaway faction of the PML-Q.

In case either the PPP or the PML-Q move a no-trust motion against Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, an alliance with the bloc can help him hold on to power in Punjab. The PML-N is likely to accommodate some members of this group in the new cabinet and offer others important positions in the provincial set-up as a reward for their crucial support.

PPP leaders did not mention any plan to bring an in-house change during Friday’s press conference, but their ministers in Punjab had earlier warned that they could act to topple the PML-N government through a no-trust motion if they were sacked.

PPP leaders refuted the allegation that no progress was made on the PML-N’s 10-point agenda. Raza Rabbani read out all the points and briefed the media on the various stages of implementation. “I am not ready to accept the stance that the PPP leadership did not fulfill its promise. I can recount specific instances. There might have been some delay but our leadership fulfilled all the promises made with the PML-N,” Rabbani contended referring to Nawaz Sharif’s complaints that the PPP prevaricated on various issues including the judges’ restoration which was resolved under immense pressure.

with additional reporting from Irfan Ghauri

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26th, 2011.

COMMENTS (7)

Mulla Toofhan | 13 years ago | Reply Not as much a sad day for Democracy as for the PPP Govt. It was clear from the beginning that the present leadership of the PPP wasn't interested in Pakistans welfare but their own. This had to happen So don't cry on the nations shoulder, just prepare to be in the opposition.
Uza Syed | 13 years ago | Reply A sad day?! Haven't we been living only sad days, weeks and months since this sham democracy has been inflicted upon the deprived and the down trodden in this unfortunate land. Democracy ------ my foot!
VIEW MORE COMMENTS
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ