PPP rally comes to the capital and workers party

Supporters hope new leadership will deliver on an age-old promise

ISLAMABAD: With hopes that the much-touted pro-poor policies will provide them with basic amenities, hundreds of people attended the 50th Foundation Day rally of the Pakistan Peoples Party on Tuesday.

The Parade Ground in Islamabad and its adjoining roads were brimming with party workers and vehicles, sounds of now-iconic party music filling the air. The red, green and black of the party’s colours donning flags, sweaters, caps, cars and even faces of party faithful.

The political gathering — termed by some to be a litmus test of the party in Punjab — saw supporters travel hundreds of miles to attend the rally with areas such as Murree and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and even Karachi represented.

Mazhar Abbas, a drum-beater who had arrived at the Parade Ground along with a team of drummers, offered a beat for celebrations by the party workers and supporters. Abbas, who chose to identify himself as a PPP voter said that he goes to every party procession along with weddings and other functions.

Though the party did not perform as well as he expected, he hoped that a new, youthful leadership would bring better policies for the poor.

“Initiatives such as the taxi and rickshaw schemes by the Nawaz government are not benefiting the lower strata of society,” he observed.

“You need a surety from a [basic pay scale] grade 16 officer to apply for the rickshaw scheme. Where we can find a grade-16 officer if we do not know anyone,” he added.

“Bilawal is the son of Benazir and he will renew the real policies which are for the poor,” Abbas hoped.

With PPP having the most women in parliament, women from different areas also came to attend the event — after a while in Islamabad. However, their numbers were not great.

Naseema Bibi, who had travelled all the way from Baldia Town in Karachi, said that she had been working for the party for the last 20 years.

“This party gave us a house and jobs for our family,” she said.

“I was a simple worker, now I have become the district councillor of PS-90,” Naseema said, adding that poor women get Rs1,000 per month under the Benazir Income Support Programme initiated by the PPP.



“This party has given us respect’.

Falak Naz, who also hails from Karachi, said the party had recruited lady health workers and started the income support programme for poor women.  “This is the only party which offers health and welfare schemes for women.”

Glass ceiling

Although the party supports women and has the highest representation of the gender, women say only those with influential and strong backgrounds can break into the power corridors of the party.

Balqees Rani, who travelled from the neighbouring Rawalpindi — where PPP’s founder was executed, said that they had stopped attending party meetings and processions after the death of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

However, with Bilawal taking charge of the party, they were attending a party procession after a long time.

“Women workers hardly get any chance to meet the party leadership or move up the ladder. Only those coming from influential backgrounds are offered key positions,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2017.