Internal dispute: Zardari leaves party meeting early

Walks out when supporters of Malik Sohna and Manzoor Wattoo start chanting slogans against each other’s leaders

LAHORE:

A visibly upset Asif Ali Zardari walked out of a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) meeting on Monday when supporters of former MPA Malik Ashraf Sohna and the party’s Punjab president Manzoor Wattoo started chanting slogans against each other’s leaders at Bilawal House.

“There has been a tussle between Wattoo and Sohna and the supporters of both chanted slogans against each other in the presence of the co-chairman. He showed his displeasure and headed for the door, ending the meeting earlier than scheduled,” a participant of the meeting told The Express Tribune.

Zardari was holding a meeting with the party office bearers and workers from Sahiwal division. Later, Wattoo came out and told reporters that difference of opinion in the PPP was an old tradition.

“Difference of opinion is the beauty of democracy and it has always strengthened the PPP. There is some problem between two groups of the PPP in Okara district and I will personally go there and make reconciliation efforts,” he said. The PPP’s provincial president said Asif Ali Zardari was taking interest in the reorganisation of the party at the union council level.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2014.