Damage control: Zardari puts foot down over internal rifts

PPP K-P in tatters with party stalwarts divided into two factions

PESHAWAR: Following Pakistan Peoples Party abysmal performance in the local government polls and the emergence of factions within its ranks, party supremo Asif Ali Zardari has decided to pull up “dissident” leaders by the scruff of their necks.

Former prime minister and PPP general secretary Raja Pervez Asharaf told the media at a rally in the city that a notice has been issued to the party’s former provincial chief Syed Zahir Ali Shah over his earlier comments. According to insiders, the former president has called a meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday (today) to look into PPP K-P’s affairs. PPP co-chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is also present in the federal capital and is likely to assist his father in papering over differences and reinvigorating the party’s K-P set-up.

“The meeting will specifically focus on the PPP K-P crises,” an insider told The Express Tribune. Important decisions, including an imminent reshuffle, are likely to be undertaken by the former president.

My way...

The party, which seemingly lost ground following 2013 general elections, has been witnessing rifts crop up within its ranks in K-P since some time now. The latest trigger alarming Zardari was Shah’s revolt. Three days ago, Shah publicly renounced PPP K-P’s decision to join the tripartite alliance of opposition parties.

Supported mostly by party activists from Peshawar, he accused alliance members of being equally responsible for LG rigging and announced a parting of ways from them.

Us vs them

Shah along with PPP Peshawar’s long-serving chief Zulfiqar Afghani has formed a group in opposition to the party’s incumbent provincial leadership. It could not be confirmed till filing of this report whether the two have been summoned to Islamabad or not but their rivals—former governor Barrister Masud Kausar, former K-P speaker Abdul Akbar Khan and Azam Afridi—have been invited.

Playing safe

Former federal minister Arbab Alamgir also maintains his set of reservations against the party’s provincial leadership. Alamgir is known to be in close contact with the central leadership and getting his way with things.

In comparison to Shah and Afghani, Alamgir’s voice still holds weight with the bigwigs and he did manage to take care of LG affairs in his constituency, his son Zaraq Khan Arbab was elected.

Senator Farhatullah Babar confirmed the meeting will take place in the federal capital. However, former federal minister Najamuddin Khan told The Express Tribune he is not part of the central executive committee and is hence not authorised to look into the meeting’s agenda.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2015.