PPP top brass strikes a defiant note
The meeting decided to gel the scattered strength of the group to prepare for what its top leaders feared could be ‘any eventuality in the face of threats it faced from undemocratic adventurers’.
At least two participants of the meeting told The Express Tribune that the PPP leadership had vowed to ‘fight it out on the roads and in the streets’ if it was denied a ‘democratic and legitimate’ right of ruling the country for half of its remaining term.
“We have decided enough is enough … we won’t be silent spectators if some forces try to throw us out of power. If they think they can, I tell you they are underestimating us, they are mistaken,” said one CEC member, speaking of a consensus among the members in this regard.
Co-chaired by Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, who is also the vice-chairman of the party, the meeting was held to review the government’s mid-term performance. However, the four-hour gathering remained focused on a flurry of speculations about a possible regime change.
According to PPP secretary general Jahangir Badar, the CEC had decided to launch a reorganisation of the party across the country and the process would begin from Balochistan next month.
Though Badar termed it a routine exercise at a news conference, one of the insiders explained that the move was the first step towards preparing for battling ‘conspiracies against the party’s democratically-elected government’.
The PPP had decided that the government would continue the policy of reconciliation with all political forces and empowered the prime minister to establish contact with key leaders of other parties.
A handout issued by a spokesperson for Zardari quoted him as assuring the participants that the government would complete its term despite obstacles, difficulties, challenges and machinations.
Both Badar and the statement did not, however, mention what kinds of obstacles were being created for the PPP administration and by whom.
When asked, Badar said: “There are undemocratic mafias in Pakistan who benefit from dictatorships… but the PPP believes in civil liberties and human rights.”
Badar warned that any attempt to derail democracy would push Pakistan further into despair.
“The CEC has decided to continue efforts to expedite the democratic transition. There is no way in Pakistan other than democracy. All other paths lead to anarchy and chaos,” he said.
Shortcomings
Both Badar and another participant of the meeting said that the CEC had also pointed out failures of the government. They, however, did not deliberate.
“The CEC has advised the government to control price hike, unemployment among youth and crimes,” Badar added.
“Shortcomings, they are everywhere … we discuss them generally,” said the other participant, who is a federal minister.
The CEC had condemned atrocities by Indian forces in Kashmir and urged the international powers to take action against this ‘new campaign’, the PPP secretary general said.
Judiciary
Badar said the CEC had decided not to confront with the judiciary but there was a criticism of recent decisions by the Supreme Court by some of the participants of the meeting.
“There is no need to redefine the distribution of powers between the government and the judiciary…it’s clear in the Constitution,” Badar said at the news conference.
“You can see yourself the decisions the judges are taking, it looks they are the government,” the minister spoke of sentiments expressed by the members of the CEC during the meeting.
“They have turned into a party. They have politicised themselves … it looks as if agencies control them.”
Insiders said the participants of the meeting vented their anger over what they thought chronic anti-PPP conspiracies by undemocratic forces including the country’s top secret agencies.
“Whenever the PPP government comes, it is not allowed to establish itself. Some hidden forces do not allow it to use powers,” one member said.
“There are always pressures from various directions. Different agencies obstruct us. They don’t let the government get stable.”
Zardari said that the government of the PPP had the mandate of the people and had many achievements to its credit during first half of its tenure, according to the statement.
Safdar abbasi
There were some half-muted voices against a decision of not calling party veteran Senator Safdar Abbasi to the meeting despite the fact that he is a member of the CEC.
According to officials, Abbasi was called on Thursday evening but he refused because he was earlier asked by the presidency and Bilawal House not to attend the meeting.
Abbasi and his wife, Naheed Khan, are known for their criticism of the PPP and Zardari.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 24th, 2010.
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