Pakistan

Garnering support: PPP MPs throw weight behind Mirza

Call former home minister ‘a brave man’ and ‘the voice of [PPP] voters’.

Express September 06, 2011

KARACHI:

Former Sindh home minister Zulfiqar Mirza is on a mission as he lobbies with his party members, trying to get them to back his stand against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Interior Minister Rehman Malik.

Not only are the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) local leadership and its workers in close contact with Mirza, the party’s legislators also visit him every day to discuss “future strategy”, sources within the party revealed. “Around 25 PPP MPAs of the Sindh Assembly have expressed full support and are looking forward to future line of action by Dr Mirza,” a sitting MPA of the ruling party told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity.

The MPA said, “We don’t care whether Mirza has taken this stand on President [Asif Ali] Zardari’s instigation. What we do know is that he is a brave man and his version is the voice of our voters.”

“The chief minister (CM) has had no time to listen to us. We are thankful to Dr Mirza who has always helped us out,” said another MPA who met Mirza at his residence on Monday.

When asked whether they would support Mirza openly, he said, “We are ready to back him up, but he refuses, saying it will ‘create differences’ within the ranks of the party.”

“We don’t believe Mirza had any serious differences with our leadership. He has made sacrifices for the party and can resume charge because everything is possible in politics,” said MNA Ghani Talpur.

Some believe Mirza’s press conference was pre-planned and President Zardari had asked him to meet the Inter-Services Intelligence chief so he could be briefed about the activities of the MQM.

The PPP has accepted Mirza’s resignation as senior vice-president, but a decision regarding his ministry and MPA seat is yet to be made.

Sources said the CM has accepted Mirza’s resignation as minister for works and services, as well as senior minister, and has sent a summary to the governor for approval.

There were reports that the PPP had decided to suspend Mirza’s basic membership, but Mirza retorted, “I am a Jiyala [diehard worker] of the PPP and no one can take away my right to be a member of the party,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (6)

M.AKRAM KHAN | 13 years ago | Reply

Yes, everything is possible in politics if it is devoid of any principles, honesty, and integrity.

Ishrat Salim | 13 years ago | Reply Each of the ministers elected by the people from their respective constituencies are responsible for the well-being of their people, hence one cannot getaway by saying that Sindhis hv been hv been deprived of basic amenities etc;...it is the responsibility of the elected MPs to provide same.....it is just an excuse of shifting responsibility...which has become a hallmark of our politics " Pakistani style ". Karachi city had been deprived of major development for the past 60 years...it was only during the govt of Musharraf that major development took place thru LG system.....every govt in power is worried for loss of revenue from Karachi knowing too well that it is a metropolitan city where people from all region come to earn their bread...but no past ( except the last govt, that is why there was no major killing etc; like being witnessed today happened ) & present govt bothered to provide funds for its development.Name one development project implemented during the past 3.5 years...?? what has been executed are the extension from the past govt project... Here wud also agree with @ Arzoo to a great extent.....

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Salman Orangiwala | 13 years ago | Reply

@Abdul Lateef

A particular linguistic community of the city is feeling being cornered to the wall . Go out into the streets of Karachi and get yourself updated .

This certainly is not going to help anything . .

Abdull Lateef | 13 years ago | Reply

@Arzoo: why you are just focusing on Lyari, who shall take care of Quaid's city? Please come out of the cage and think for the whole city. The violance is not only in Lyari or part of it, it has spread over in all parts of Karachi.

Arzoo | 13 years ago | Reply

“We don’t believe Mirza had any serious differences with our leadership. He has made sacrifices for the party and can resume charge because everything is possible in politics,” said MNA Ghani Talpur.

Yes, everything is possible in politics if it is devoid of any principles, honesty, and integrity. Politics is the art of statecraft and those people should get into it who have a burning desire to serve the people. But if the sole purpose to get into politics is to achieve a shortcut to life of privilege and riches, then politics become rife with corruption and deceipt. The only way these politicians can achieve their purpose is by dividing the people and sowing the seeds of hate and suspicion among them. Otherwise, tell me what are the differences in Muhajirs and Sindhis??? Sindhis are an oppressed people that have been kept away from education, proper health facilities, and right to a decent living. Who, in their right consciense would want to further hurt them????? But these politicians, instead of working to better their lives are taking them on the path of mayhem. Look at Lyari: it is the bastion of PPP support for the last 40 years. Where does Lyari stands in terms of development???? Where are jobs for the people, or the health facilities, or decent roads or sanitation???? People, please do not be fooled by these politicians.

Abdull Lateef | 13 years ago | Reply

Whole nation is waiting for Government's verdit as well as the view point of MQM as its almost one week where nothing has been heard from that forums. Both should come forward and clear their position. Both Government and MQM seems to be reluctant responding Mirza Sahab's allegations, which somehow indicates that DAL MAEN KUCHH KAALA HAE or may be PURI DAAL HI KAALI HAE.

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