PTI gains as PPP cedes ground in Punjab

Nadeem Afzal Chan may jump ship soon amid reports of more possible defections

ISLAMABAD: Persistently performing abysmally in Punjab in almost all by-elections since the 2013 general elections, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is going through the worst crisis in its history in the province.

While many of its stalwarts have already switched loyalties, more defections are expected over the next few days.

There is likelihood that Nadeem Afzal Chan, a close aide of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, may quit the party.

“Chan has twice tendered resignation to the chairman [Bilawal]. The first time he did so was nearly a month ago. He has now once again conveyed to the chairman that he intends to quit as secretary-general for central Punjab,” a PPP leader told The Express Tribune.



Chan, who has served as the chairman of a key parliamentary panel – Punjab Accounts Committee – during the previous PPP tenure, holds one of the most important party posts in Punjab.

A few months ago, there were speculations that Chan might quit soon after his uncle, a former federal minister, Nazar Gondal, has joined Imran Khan’s PTI.

But Chan denied all such reports.

Ghulam Murtaza Satti and Firdous Ashiq Awan are among other prominent electables from northern and central Punjab who have joined the PTI.

Now, close associates of Chan are confirming that differences have emerged within the PPP leadership over the party’s performance in Punjab. “This is a matter of our political survival,” another associate of Chan said.

These PPP leaders believe that if they contest the elections on a PPP ticket, they might not even be able to secure votes from their own constituents.

“Results of NA-120 are an eye-opener… we secured less than 1,500 votes – even lower than lesser known candidates,” another PPP leader said.



Chairman Bilwal recently formed a committee to determine reasons for the party’s poor performance in NA-120.

Members of the fact-finding committee included former chairman Senate Syed Nayyar Bukhari, Senator Farhatullah Babar and Maula Bukhsh Chandio. This PPP panel is scheduled to hold its first meeting in Lahore on October 3.

The committee invited members of the party’s provincial chapter and presidents of Lahore, Faisalabad and Gujranwala divisions for soul searching.

Many believe it is too late for the party now.

The PPP had a chance to be in the race in Punjab when Bilawal had chalked out an aggressive strategy against the PML-N in the province last year. Bilawal was set to launch an aggressive anti-PML-N protest campaign earlier this year.

The whole programme was rendered ineffective when his father, Asif Ali Zardari, returned to the country in December after remaining absent from the scene for almost one year and a half. Immediately afterwards, he made a hard hitting speech against the establishment in which he obliquely also criticised then army chief General Raheel Sharif.

Zardari also announced that Bilawal would join the National Assembly after contesting a by-election. This did not happen. At the same time, he installed a parallel setup in Punjab by turning to some old guards. This did not settle well with the provincial chapter set up by Bilawal.

“Someone must own the responsibility for the defeat in NA-120,” Chan was quoted as telling Bilawal in a recent meeting, where he reiterated his desire to quit the party post.