PPP faces leadership crisis in KP

Leading the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has become a huge problem for its high command as it is going to pick another one of its leaders for the office, the third one since February 2008 general elections. The previous leaders failed to impress the top leadership of the party and its workers in the province.
Pakistan Today has learnt, through some well placed sources, that party’s Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari has named former Federal Minister Anwar Saif Ullah Khan to lead the party in KP. But some of the party stalwarts raised certain concerns. Therefore, Anwar Saif Ullah Khan has been given a 15-day period to address these reservations and get involved in consultation with his closed ones.
The decision regarding posting of Anwar Saif Ullah Khan as PPP President in KP was floated in party’s high level meeting held at Islamabad couple of days back. However, Anwar Saif Ullah instead of accepting the post requested some time for consultation with his near and dear ones though what really seems to be the issue is that Saif Ullah, fully aware of intrigues in the party, wants to ensure “safe proceedings”.
Some of the party stalwarts diverted attentions towards senior positions held by Anwar Saif Ullah Khan’s brothers in opposition parties, like in Pakistan Muslim League-Likeminded (PML-LM) and Pakistan Tehrik Insaf (PTI). Salim Saif Ullah Khan is leading PML-LM whereas Javed Saif Ullah Khan has recently joined PTI. Citing this as an example of a possible conflict of interest, some of the senior leaders opposed the nomination of Anwar Saif Ullah Khan as PPP’s head honcho in KP.
Anwar Saif Ullah Khan has remained Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources in Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto’s government during 1993-96. During that period, he landed himself in good books of the late Benazir Bhutto. He was later booked by NAB when Pervez Musharaf toppled Mian Nawaz Sharif’s government in October 1999. Some inside the PPP say that Anwar Saif Ullah Khan was a favorite for the office of chief minister for KP when Benazir Bhutto was formulating strategies in connection with 2008 general elections.
Though he couldn’t become CM after 2008 general elections, in the light of his sincerity with PPP, he was made a Senator in March 2012 Senate elections. Now that when leadership crisis has erupted in KP, majority of the party leadership is endorsing President Asif Ali Zardari’s ideas of making him the chief of PPP in the province.
It may be mentioned here that after disassociation of Aftab Sherpao from the PPP in 1998 last, Barrister Masud Kausar and Khawaja Mohammad Khan Hoti have lead the party till 2003. After the departure of Khawaja Hoti from PPP in 2003, Rahim Dad Khan was made provincial president. He remained in office till 2009. Syed Zahir Ali Shah then replaced Rahim Dad Khan but in mid 2011, Syed Zahir Ali Shah was replaced by Senator Sardar Ali Khan. But Sardar Ali Khan seemingly has failed in leading the party. Therefore, majority of workers and leaders have asked for reorganization of the party in KP.
Keeping in view frequent reshuffling of PPP leaders in KP, Asif Ali Zardari’s jumping in to solve it once for all seems to be a right decision. But even though President Zardari is in favor of PPP’s alliance with Awami National Party (ANP), Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) and other parties in KP, many of party’s senior leaders and workers from the province are divided on the issue. They consider ANP a rival and an opponent because of the history they have had in the early years of PPP’s birth, particularly during 1973-1977.