ISLAMABAD – The fate of former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi hangs in the balance, as the PPP leadership is still undecided over taking any disciplinary action against the PPP veteran. Qureshi had made headlines after his refusal to be part of the new cabinet to protest the change in his portfolio.
A PPP insider told Pakistan Today that the president was against any strict action against Qureshi and the harsh statements made against the former minister was a planned move to pressure him to review his decision. “It has been decided that the policy adopted to rake in Amin Fahim in 2008 will be used in Qureshi’s case,” said the source. The source said fiery statements by Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Fauzia Wahab and others were part of the policy to deal with defiant Qureshi.
“The outburst has worked and Qureshi has sent some positive signals to the party leadership, which opened the doors for a reconciliatory process, which is on,” said the PPP source, adding that this was the reason that the harsh statements had been stopped. The source said the president was angry with Qureshi for disclosing sensitive information to the media and that was the reason that a strategy had been adopted to teach him a lesson.
However, he said things were improving now as Qureshi had been engaged. When contacted, PPP Information Secretary Fauzia Wahab said the party leadership was yet to decide on any disciplinary action against Qureshi. “He has violated the party discipline. By not taking oath, he has conveyed a wrong message. If he had any grudge against the party leadership, he should have chosen a right forum to convey this to the party co-chairman,” she said.
She said why had Qureshi not divulged these details – of the pressure he was facing from the top leadership to provide immunity to Raymond Davis – to the media earlier? “Why did he tell the media about his dissent and the pressure he was facing on Friday after his portfolio was changed? Why did he not share the information on Thursday and why did he clarify the issue after the cabinet was sworn in?” Fauzia asked.
She said it was a prerogative of the party leadership to change the portfolios of the ministers, adding that Qureshi was asked to serve as the water and power minister, but he chose to go to the media for expressing his displeasure over the change in his portfolio. Refuting statements of her fellow PPP leaders, Fauzia said she and Firdous Ashiq Awan’s statements reflected party policy.
Fauzia said that Qureshi was among a few members of the party selected to rule the country, but it remained the prerogative of the party leadership to decide what task was to be given to its members and they were obliged to accept it.
