Makhdooms of Hala may part ways with the PPP

Once loyals to the party, Makhdooms likely to contest elections as independent candidates

KARACHI: After a 51-year-long association with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Makhdooms of Hala have reportedly decided to part ways with the party and contest the upcoming election as independent candidates.

The Makhdooms are spiritual leaders of the Sarwari Jamaat and they not only exercise great influence in Hala in Matiari district, which is their hometown, but also in other districts of Sindh. Makhdoom Talibul Maula, who was also a famous Sindhi poet, was one of the founding members of the PPP. His association with the party started in 1967 and his son Makhdoom Amin Fahim continued the legacy. Although, after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Fahim's relationship with Asif Ali Zardari was strained, he remained with the party till his death.

However, the Makhdooms have become too disgruntled with the party leadership and have decided to quit. Sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune that the Makhdoom family has in principle decided to field its own candidates against the PPP.

"The Makhdoom family, which is supported by its Sarwari Jamaat, bagged one National Assembly and three Sindh Assembly seats in the last general elections. Now, they are going to make an alliance with likeminded parties against the PPP," a senior leader of the PPP said, adding that there are a number of issues that have compelled the Makhdooms to leave the party.



"After Benazir's assassination, Zardari had earlier announced that the prime minister's post would be given to Makhdoom Amin Fahim, who at that time was the chairperson of PPP Parliamentarians. This never happened. Benazir had [also] promised to choose the [Sindh] chief minister from the Makhdoom family of Hala but the situation changed after her death. The current leadership of the PPP has left the Makhdoom family dejected and compelled them to part ways," a source privy to the development said, adding that Fahim's elder son, Makhdoom Jamiluz Zaman, who currently is the sajjadah nasheen (caretaker) of the Ghousul Haq Makhdoom Sarwar Nooh shrine, best known as the 'Sarwari Jamaat', has asked his jamaat and its khalifas to gear up for polls against the PPP in Matiari, Sanghar, Tharparkar, Umerkot and Khairpur.

Zaman was the minister for revenue in the last government that ended its tenure on Monday. However, it has been reported that he was toothless, having no power and authority. He also reportedly complained to the party leadership several times but to no avail.

"The entire Makhdoom family remained loyal to the PPP but unfortunately the party's reins have now been transferred to other hands. A few days before his death, Makhdoom Amin Fahim had asked his family to make future decisions keeping in mind ground realities rather than following the party blindly," said one of the khalifas of Sarwari Jamaat, adding that Zaman was acting upon his father's will.

There are reports that Zaman recently held a number of meetings with Pir Pagara, who heads the Hurr Jamaat and is also the chief of the Pakistan Muslim League - Functional and Grand Democratic Alliance, and Shah Mehmood Qureshi of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf who is the spiritual leader of Ghousia Jamaat of Punjab and Sindh. They have agreed in principle to support each other in Tharparkar, Sanghar, Umerkot and Matiari districts.



According to the reported negotiations between Qureshi, Pagara and Zaman, Qureshi would contest the elections from NA-229 Tharparkar where Arbab Ghulam Rahim and the Makhdoom family have a considerable vote bank. Makhdoom Naimatullah, another son of Fahim, had also won the  provincial assembly seat PS-55, which is part of NA-229. The Makhdooms have reportedly assured Qureshi that they will support him in the constituency.

In return, Qureshi will announce his support for Makhdoom Saeed, another son of Fahim, who is expected to contest the elections from a constituency of Umerkot. The Pagara-led Hurr Jamaat is also likely to support Saeed.

A meeting was held at Bilawal House on Tuesday where aspiring candidates for Hyderabad division were invited for interviews for tickets for the upcoming general elections. The meeting was not attended by Zaman and his sons, which indicated that the Makhdooms were estranged from the party.

Meanwhile, the PPP leadership is denying reports of the departure of the Makhdooms from the party. Speaking to the media, PPP Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro rebutted reports of the Makhdoom family defecting. "I think the Makhdoom family has rendered great scarifices for the party and all [such] reports are baseless," he said.



It is also being reported that the PPP is once again trying to woo the family. However, the latter has presented a long list of demands, including the next chief minister being chosen from their kin.