Bilawal had tough time selling long march to CEC meeting

ISLAMABAD: The decision to hold a long march was not a smooth sailing for the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who was repeatedly subjected to ‘critical’ questions in the meeting of party’s central executive committee (CEC) where he passionately defended this proposal and mustered support in its favor.

According to the sources, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari appeared determined to hold a long march as he passionately defended this proposal before the members in the CEC meeting. “As soon as the proposal to hold a long march was presented, the senior party members started raising questions and some of them even opposed it, citing dangers to already fragile democratic system in the country,” sources said.

Sources said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari maintained that wherever he went, the electorates asked them of the opposition action plan to get rid of the incompetent government that has pushed the country into troubled waters. “Bilawal Bhutto Zardari maintained there were two democratic ways to get rid of this government — no-confidence motion and long march. He (Bilawal) said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) never supported the proposal of no-confidence motion, so they had been left with no other option except to hold a long march,” sources said.

Sources in the PPP told this correspondent that it was a healthy debate as the party chairman not only patiently faced harsh questions but also addressed them with arguments, adding “a thumping majority of the CEC members finally supported the proposal and asked the party chairman to go ahead with it.”

They claimed that despite repeated questions from the members, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari maintained that they should not disclose ‘details’ of this long march that according to him would shake the pillars of the Imran-led government.

While talking to The News, PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira confirmed that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari faced serious questions from the party members and stated, “Now the people can better realise how much liberty our members enjoy during the party meetings.

PPP is a true democratic party where everyone gives opinion and our leadership always shows respect to the viewpoint of members. There was a proposal for the long march and members of CEC held a long debate over it,” he said.

To a question, he said, “It is not correct to say that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was predetermined for long march. The proposal to hold the long march was floated and CEC approved it after a thorough discussion.”

Replying to another question, he said, “We have not taken the decision of holding the long march on February 27 in haste. Our party is holding protest rallies and mobilising people against this government.

So first we prepared the ground and then announced to hold the long march.”Dismissing the impression about any kind of ‘signal’, he said, “We never believe in ‘signals’ as we carry out politics on our own terms and take decisions on our own. PPP is the only true democratic party that always comes up and plays its role whenever the country faces difficult situation.”