Khanzada Khan’s recent appointment as provincial president had reportedly resulted in fissures. PHOTO: FILE
After initial wrangling over the selection of a new party chief in the province, senior leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) met in Mardan on Saturday – in what could be a sign of rapprochement.
The meeting took place at the residence of PPP provincial chief Khanzada Khan and was attended by the party’s bigwigs of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
Most of the party leaders who had earlier skipped meetings were also present at the moot in which participants discussed preparations for upcoming local government elections and the anniversary of slain PPP leader and former premier Benazir Bhutto.
PPP media coordinator Fahim Khattak told The Express Tribune the party’s senior leadership expressed confidence in Khan, the new party chief. Khattak said it was decided in the meeting that the party would fully participate in the local bodies’ elections, and observe Benazir Bhutto’s sixth death anniversary.
However, a source privy to the proceedings said the meeting was significant in the backdrop of recent differences expressed by the party’s senior leadership in K-P over Khan’s appointment. They were later asked by the central leadership to unite behind Khan.
“They (senior leaders) were told action would be taken against them if they continued to foment trouble for Khan,” said the insider.
Many senior provincial leaders were avoiding party meetings after Khan’s selection as the party chief, as a number of them were jockeying for the slot and were dejected after Khan’s appointment.
Asma Arbab Alamgir, Sher Azam Wazir, Najumddin Khan, Azam Afridi, Rubina Khalid, Zahir Ali Shah, Rahimdad Khan, Lal Khan, Iftikhar Jhagra, Kiramatullah Khan Chagarmati, Humayun Khan, Tariq Khattak, Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha, Ahmed Hassan Khan, Shazia Aurangzeb and other senior leaders attended the meeting.
Two former PPP K-P presidents Anwar Saifullah Khan and Senator Sardar Ali Khan along with Abdul Akbar Khan from Mardan did not attend the meeting. Anwar, who was the last party chief and had resigned after the defeat in the May 11 general elections, is reportedly out of the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 22nd, 2013.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ