Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani’s close aide resigns from post of PPP divisional SG

MULTAN: A senior leader of the Pakistan People’s Party and a close aide of former prime minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has resigned from the office of the divisional secretary general due to his ‘hectic corporate engagements’.

A copy of the resignation available with this scribe says that former MPA Dr Javed Siddiqui had joined the PPP after winning the Local Government elections in 1988. He was elected MPA in 2002 on a PPP ticket and played his role in the capacity of an opposition member in the Punjab Assembly. He raised voice for the rights of Seraiki region and exposed financial discrepancies, budgetary cuts and socio-cultural discrimination being done with the people of this most neglected region. He had held meetings with Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and other party leaders in Islamabad, Dubai and London. Dr Javed Siddiqui had contested the 2014 by-elections when no one was ready to contest on a PPP ticket. PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had nominated him as the PPP south Punjab general secretary when Amir Dogar quit the party. He had established the PPP South Punjab secretariat in Multan bearing all expenses from his resources. Moreover, he had played a key role in organising party chapters at the division, district, tehsil and city levels in all the eleven 11 districts in Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions of south Punjab. He organised conventions of PPP south Punjab chapters. PPP senior vice chairman Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and PPP south Punjab president Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood knows very well about his sacrifices and contribution to the party. Criticising the party leadership decisions, the former MPA said that he was removed from the slot of south Punjab secretary general and the party appointed Shaukat Basra on the slot. When Basra left the party, the party promised Dr Javed Siddiqui to make him the Multan division president, but he was appointed as the Multan division secretary general.

The party had nominated Nausherwan Langrial as the Multan division president. Later, he (Langrial) also left the party.

Dr Javed Siddiqui, in his resignation, said that he had contested a tough fight in the Election Commission of Pakistan and Election Tribunal to restore his traditional constituency in the general elections 2018, but the party did not allot him a ticket.

He further said, "I am unable to contribute to the party due to my corporate engagements. I have concluded the party needs more active cadre to continue the party momentum. The person who can spare additional time should be nominated against the office of the divisional secretary general.”