Alamgir sounds apprehensive about PPP’s prospects in KP

PESHAWAR: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s former federal minister Arbab Mohammad Alamgir Khan has said that ignoring the provincial president on various issues has damaged the future of their party and the prospects of its candidates in the upcoming general election.

Talking to The News here on Saturday, he said the induction of newcomers from other parties and inviting the central leaders to the province without taking the provincial president into confidence has not benefited the party but cast negative effect on it.

“If the party has nominated a person as our provincial president, he should be given due respect and taken into confidence on every issue. Why the provincial president is being ignored on important issues? Such policy has not and will not strengthen the party. Ignoring the elected president has endangered the prospects of our party’s candidates,” he said.

Without naming anyone as to who is ignoring the president, the former federal minister said the seniors were an asset of the party and non-consultation with the old guards would affect the PPP’s prospects in the coming election. He deplored that the visit of former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to Peshawar would not have been postponed if proper homework and consultation had been made beforehand.

The PPP leader observed that other political parties had nominated candidates, but his party has not yet completed its organisation or started polls preparations yet.

“There are five National Assembly constituencies in Peshawar but we have not yet nominated candidates,” he pointed out.

Arbab Alamgir said there should have been coordination and collective efforts to face their political opponents.

“PPP is not a party of Facebook which could be run on mere statements,” he remarked.

He added, “We will have to forge unity among the rank and file to gain victory in the election. If we fail to set aside our differences, we will be the losers.” He said they would have to check ground realities before judging popularity of the party. “Any person could deposit Rs30,000 for becoming a candidate but this didn’t indicate the popularity of the party,” he argued.

“Our party position is weak in Peshawar. I am disappointed. The painful aspect is that nobody is trying to make any improvement,” he lamented.

Arbab Alamgir observed that improvement could be made and confidence of workers restored by taking collective decisions on merit.

He said the concerned party leaders should think over the existing situation and take practical steps to overcome the problems and make an effective strategy to face their main political opponent, which is the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).