Eventful exit

Departure of a man who was once in the running for prime ministerial race inflicts damage on PPP.

The exit of former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi from the PPP, and his vacating of his NA seat, was not entirely unexpected. It had been clear for many months now that Qureshi, who has changed parties several times in the past, was an angry and disgruntled man, who had fallen out with his party leadership, notably over the Raymond Davis affair. In some ways, it is better in such a situation for leaders to go their own ways rather than remain unwilling members of a party, and in Mehmood’s case, a party he had criticised quite openly on various occasions, even acting to block bills backed by it.

Nonetheless the departure of a man who was once in the running for the prime ministerial race inflicts damage on the PPP. The timing appears to have been designed to ensure this is the case, coming amidst mounting talk of political change well before the next election is scheduled in early 2013. Mehmood has as yet made no mention of what course of action he intends to take as far as his political future goes — but it is beginning to seem likely that he may end up with the PTI — a party that leaders from other groups are also said to be looking towards, as its star rises higher and higher in a sky where it had once been virtually invisible. Certainly, the PTI appears to be on the hunt for those who can win seats, and Mehmood certainly ranks among these players.

The PPP needs also to consider its own position. The information minister and other senior party members have lashed out harshly against Mehmood. What they say may not be entirely inaccurate. But it is also true that the former minister’s strongly worded attack on his former party and President Zardari will leave behind injuries that will hurt, especially in the current environment where the PPP is already struggling against charges of corruption and lack of integrity. Mehmood has played on these, and will no doubt continue to do so in the future, as the political turntable continues to swing around in rapid circles.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th,  2011.