‘Community leaders can help implement social welfare initiatives effectively’

Rawalpindi: Supporting small-time leaders from grassroots levels for assembly elections has always been a strategy adopted by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) with an objective to nurture talent and generate opportunities for individuals who have proven themselves at the community level, these were the view of a number of PPP workers in a meeting with PPP Women Wing President Sumaira Gul on Friday.

PPP workers from Rawalpindi including Sheikh Ayub, Shafqat Bajwa, Zawar Hadiri, Sheikh Rameez, Sheikh Ramzan, Azra Younis, Raja Imran, Shahmir Khan, Zareen Ahmad, Raja Naveed, Raja Rauf and Fazal Haq Khan who unanimously vouched for Sumaira Gul to be elevated as managing director Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal and called on the party leadership to lend their support to her.

It merits mentioning here that Sumaira Gul has contested National Assembly elections twice in 2018 and 2024 but her struggle for her community is not bound to only these two occasions. She contested elections for Local Bodies from 2001 till 2011 and has been a Presiding Officer and Opposition Leader from PPP’s platform in Tehsil Rawalpindi, Rawal Town. She rose from the ranks of Union Council (UC) to Town Level and won three elections and even contested for UC Nazim in 2006 on PPP ticket. She was promoted to the prestigious position of President Pakistan People’s Party Women’s Wing Rawalpindi District from 2017 and has been serving the party till date. She was nominated for Women’s Reserved Seats for Punjab Assembly in 2013 General Elections. She has faced arrests and political cases on many occasions not only as an office-bearer but as a political worker. She has played a pivotal role in hosting many party events and during membership drives.

Apart from the 2018 elections even during the elections of 2024, the party workers supported her wholeheartedly during her door-to-door campaign. As far as the results were concerned they were not in her favour as her supporters believe that basic party organizational structure could not play an effective role which severely affected the outcome of results. Lack of coordination among PP candidates with NA candidates also had a significant impact on the poll results. However, the party workers believe that in Rawalpindi she is the only lady from the grassroots level who contested the election directly and stands with PPP ideology and she also has support from the Pakistan Muslims League (Nawaz) workers as well. The party workers also pointed out that there is no women leader adjusted on any coveted position across Rawalpindi district.

The party supporters believe that now she should be given a chance to serve as Managing Director Pakistan Bait-ul Mal. They believe that by giving leaders like her a chance to run organisations like Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, the authorities can inject fresh perspectives and grassroots understanding into the management of social welfare initiatives. It also demonstrates a commitment to inclusive governance and empowers individuals who have direct experience with the challenges facing their communities.

The party workers advocated for PPP women wing’s president’s appointment as MD of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal based on their belief in her ability to continue the organisation’s vital work in poverty alleviation and assistance provision across Pakistan. “When there’s strong support from within the organisation and its affiliates, it can foster a sense of unity and purpose, ultimately leading to more effective implementation of social welfare initiatives. Her leadership can potentially bring about positive changes and advancements in PBM’s efforts to serve the community,” they added.