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WEEKLY
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| Zardari turns to PPP cadre for support |
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Monday, November 23, 2009
By Tahir Hasan Khan
Karachi
President Asif Ali Zardari has decided to seek support from the cadre of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to counter the propaganda against the government, and specially him. This approach is in distinction to his earlier posture, whereby his ‘friends’ were high on the priority list. However, mounting political pressure on the democratic government has forced President Zardari to change his approach.
There are a number of party leaders and cadres who believe that President Zardari’s business and non-political friends, who also hold important offices in the government, are the responsible for the crisis that the government faces today. Many also argue that the same situation was witnessed in the last two PPP governments, when Benazir Bhutto was the prime minister. Party cadres believe that she faced strong criticism due to the activities of her husband and his ‘business friends’. Cadres blame them for the dismissal of both PPP governments, in 1990 and 1996.
It is perhaps due to these experiences that Benazir Bhutto had decided before returning from exile to the country that Asif Ali Zardari would have no political role in the party or the government. The situation did not pan out as Benazir had planned it, as after her assassination, Asif Zardari took control of the party. The situation was such that the party cadre began complaining that even though the party is in power, most activists were still deprived. There were many who thought that the party would look out for them whenever it came into power, but this desire remained unfulfilled.
Most party workers are thankful to the media for exposing the President Zardari’s ‘business friends’ and their corruption. On the other hand, Zardari’s business friends repeatedly blamed the media for launching a campaign against the president, and advised him to take steps to set the media right.
What Zardari did, in fact, was to give due attention to the party. He summoned Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the party to discuss the situation, while a meeting of all information secretaries of the party (from the districts to the centre) was also held. The information secretaries were tasked with the responsibility of using their good offices in the media to counter the campaign launched in the media against the president and his business friends.
It was also decided to hold a public meeting in Karachi on the foundation day of the PPP. The purpose of this public gathering is to show to opponents and detractors that the party still holds the support of many citizens, while directives have also been issued to ensure that this event is as grand as the one held for Benazir Bhutto.
It was initially decided that the venue of the public gathering would be Nishtar Park, but later on, it was shifted to Mazar-e-Quaid – also due to security reason. The party had decided to hold a public meeting in Karachi last year as well, but that plan had to be cancelled at the last minute due to ethnic clashes in city. Party leaders claimed that President Zardari wanted to address this rally in person, but due to security concerns, he will now address the rally over telephone.
There are also other changes that have been made to the party to ensure that only is the PPP cadre activated, but that the show of strength that the PPP intends to display is also a huge success. President Zardari has appointed senior party leader, Taj Haider, as the secretary-general of the Sindh party. The post had been lying vacant since the past six months, when Nafees Siddiqi had resigned due to differences with the central and provincial leadership of the party.
Siddiqi had worked with Benazir Bhutto in various capacities, and it was Benazir who had appointed him as secretary of the provincial party. His resignation had created the impression that there was no room for sincere workers of the party who had worked with Benazir Bhutto. Many had claimed that the party was active even when in government during the time of Benazir Bhutto, and she had always given due importance to party workers and taken them into confidence whenever decisions had to be made.
The appointment of Haider, however, has dispelled such notions. Haider has previously worked Benazir Bhutto in different capacities, including information secretary. He enjoys a good reputation amongst the party cadre, and even his opponents respect him due to his political vision as well as his sincere personality.
Party workers hope that President Zardari would give due attention to reorganise and activate the party, as the party not his business friends will protect him. The choice is now is up to President Zardari: to invest in the party or to prioritise business friends who are responsible for the miseries of the Bhutto family, party workers and for himself.
khan.tahirhkhan@gmail.com
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ISSN 1563-9479 
