Changing alliances: Shazia Aurangzeb to join PPP on Nov 30

PML-N works to reorganise women’s wing.

PESHAWAR: After deciding to part ways with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Shazia Aurangzeb has decided to join the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Aurangzeb was the PML-N women wing’s central general secretary. PPP sources told The Express Tribune that she is now all set to join them. Confirming this, Aurangzeb said that she will make the announcement during a press conference on November 30 at the PPP’s Provincial President Anwar Saifullah’s house.

She claims that she is not alone in this endeavour. Other office bearers from PML-N’s women wing from Peshawar, Hazara and Nowshera will also accompany her. “The PML-N is now a closed chapter and I will not talk about it anymore.”

While Aurangzeb looks towards a fresh start, the PML-N is also revamping its women’s wing by expediting the re-organisation process. The wing’s new president Tahira Bukhari and general secretary Begum Shaheen Habibullah have discarded all appointments made by Aurangzeb. We had a meeting in Charsadda Wednesday regarding the re-organisation process, Bukhari said.

Recently, Shazia had appointed Imtiaz Sultan Bukhari, Sufia Israr, Dr Shahida and Seema Ikram as the women wing’s organisers for the Peshawar division. Appointments were also made for the rest of the province according to the wing’s president, Maryam Nawaz’s plan. Sources familiar with the matter say that these appointments are null and void.

Dodging commenting on the issue, Habibullah said that they will stick to the president’s plan. New appointments are being made in consultation with the party’s leadership and Maryam is being informed and asked for all approvals. She claimed that new district organisers and secretaries have been appointed in more than 30 electoral constituencies, including Peshawar, Swabi and Mardan. We will be visiting Hazara soon, she added.

Auragzeb was at odds with PML-N’s Provincial President Pir Sabir Shah over Bukhari and Habibullah’s appointment as new office bearers. She refused to accept the notification and was issued a show-cause notice for publicly dissenting against the party’s decision.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2012.