Appointing office bearers: No major changes in PPP’s reshuffle

New party president for K-P expected to land in Peshawar after Muharram.

PESHAWAR: Many of the previous office bearers of Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chapter have retained their posts in the ongoing reshuffle.

The party’s deputy information secretary, Gohar Inqilabi told The Express Tribune a notification announcing the party’s new provincial president and general secretary was issued two days earlier. He added the only change so far is the appointment of former lawmaker from Mardan, Khanzada Khan, as the president of PPP’s K-P chapter. Humayun Khan, on the other hand, retains his position as the general secretary for the province.



There were earlier reports suggesting former federal minister from Mardan, Lal Muhammad Khan, would be made the general secretary, but the party’s high command retained Humayun Khan.

Inqilabi also said the party’s leadership had retained the old cabinet for the time being, adding the new president is likely to come to Peshawar from Islamabad, where he is currently staying, after Muharram. He said the party will then hold a reception for the new chief.

The deputy information secretary also said the president will meet other office bearers to chalk out a strategy to revamp the party. He added Khanzada will discuss a membership drive in a meeting after Muharram, but clarified nothing can be definitive till the new president takes over.

Former president of PPP’s K-P chapter, Anwar Safiullah Khan had tendered his resignation along with some other office bearers following the party’s defeat in the May 11 general elections. Saifullah’s resignation, however, remained pending till the announcement of Khanzada’s appointment, during which time the party remained largely dormant.

It is now expected the party will be reorganised at the grassroots level. There were earlier reports of a power struggle between the party’s senior leaders over top slots, but none of the contenders seemed to be eager to take up the mantle at a difficult time when the party’s role has been reduced to a minor one in the province with only five members in the K-P Assembly.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th,2013.