- PPP chairman likely to shun father Zardari’s policy of reconciliation and take Sharif govt by the horns
- PPP sources say Bilawal plans to bring new faces to the fore, get rid of senior leaders
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is expected to announce an overhaul of the party by shedding senior party leaders and roping in young blood as he prepares to address the party’s 48th Foundation Day on November 30.
Bilawal is also expected to take a much stronger stance against the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, hinting at a shift in the PPP’s policy of reconciliation pursued by its co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.
A source privy to the process of the preparation of Bilawal’s speech for the Foundation Day told Pakistan Today that dissolution of all party offices is on the cards and a coordination committee will be announced to manage the party affairs till a new party organisation is established.
“Bilawal wants to announce dissolution of all party offices and allied wings and wants a young team to help him steer the party out of the political quagmire,” said the source.
“Bilawal wants to pursue an independent approach and form a young team just like his mother, the late Benazir Bhutto, who brought fresh people in the forefront. However, Zardari wants a blend of young and old people in the PPP leadership,” the source said.
“Recently, I heard Bilawal telling a friend that all the bureaucrats sitting in the party are foolish and corrupt and he wants to have nothing to do with them,” the source added.
It is said that Bilawal also wants rapprochement with Safdar Abbasi and Naheed Khan, who were very close to Benazir Bhutto, but he is facing stiff resistance from within the party.
SHARIFS’ BEWARE:
On the party’s 48th Foundation Day, Bilawal may take on the ruling party and the Sharif government, the sources said.
“Bilawal’s speech will be anti-government and a verbal tirade is likely to be launched against the Sharifs. Bilawal knows that if he wants to become prime minister, he needs to win Punjab from the PML-N,” a PPP leader said.
BILAWAL’S POLICY:
When approached for comments, PPP South Punjab Senior Vice President Haider Zaman Qureshi said that Bilawal plans to contact PPP’s grassroot workers individually to seek input for the party’s future strategy.
He also confirmed that a major policy shift might be announced in Bilawal’s speech, adding that it was likely that Bilawal would announce the dissolution of the party organisation and announce fresh membership.
He said that Bilawal plans to introduce a performance-based system of promotion of party workers and an economic agenda with the welfare of labourers and farmers as its hallmark.