Former prime minister and central leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday said that there was no time for regret as his party was gearing up to analyse the reasons behind PPP’s defeat in the May 11 elections. He further said that once it was clear why the PPP had failed to secure desired votes, the party would work to regain the trust of the masses and return to power democratically.
Talking to Pakistan Today, the former premier said that his party’s election strategy had proved ineffective, but added that irrespective of election gains and losses, history would remember PPP’s democratic, constitutional, economic and state-institutional structural developmental. He said these services would have long-term effects for the country and its people.
Commenting on his resignation from a key party post, the former premier said that he had not left the party and it had been his moral obligation to step down from a central post as he had failed to achieve the electoral victory goal he had been tasked with. He said he had been under no direct or indirect pressure from the party when he had made the decision to offer his resignation.
Interestingly, Gilani also mentioned that he was aware of the reason he had failed to accomplish his goals but did not elaborate further.
However, the former premier lamented that his government had continuously been targeted by forces that were working with other institutions of the state. Expressing his disappointment, he said that his disqualification from the election was also a “deep-rooted” action taken against him, his party and his political action.
Moreover, Gilani complained that his government had been victimised constantly on the bases of fabricated and “incredible” reasons.
Gilani was not without regret, however. He admitted that his party had committed some blunders which had caused PPP’s electoral defeat. He admitted that PPP had neglected real and basic problems of the people and had, instead, remained occupied with democratic and constitutional deadlocks.
He also blamed the media for not celebrating the successes of the former government and said that it had, instead, maliciously focused on the failures.
On the future of the PPP, Gilani stressed that there was an immediate need to reorganise the party once more to steer it in the right direction.
