About that fool’s paradise
Once again Bilawal Bhutto is seemingly back to lead his party, and once again there is confusion about who is operationally in charge of PPP at this critical juncture. And since his latest outburst – that those writing off PPP were living in a fool’s paradise – neither confirms nor denies all sorts of rumours, does it really help the party to muddy the waters even further about its present state of affairs? It’s not been too long since Asif Zardari’s outburst against the military, after all. And even though people associated with Pakistan’s politics are notorious for having short memories, some were wondering how the leadership will decide the party’s future from here.
But Bilawal has come, and gone, before. First he was catapulted to the top in the days of the dharna. PPP ‘protected democracy’ for appearances sake, but there was always the lingering fear that the government might actually collapse. And the party was in no position for a snap election. It had just been routed, especially in Punjab. So that is where the co-chairman deputed the chairman for shoring up reserves. But that did not turn out too good. Yet it’s not as if Zardari sb has not tried to put the Punjab house in order himself. Twice he came here, and twice he left disappointed.
Interestingly, Bilawal talked more about his “martyred” grandfather and mother than himself, or his party’s agenda, when rubbishing rumours that PPP was past its sell-by date. With local government elections creeping up, and the party no better than it was immediately after the ’13 general election, perhaps it would have helped to talk about more tangible policy matters than gloat about a past that can do precious little about people’s present needs. If Bilawal wants to stay relevant this time, and not be sent to Dubai or London for more schooling like last time, he will need to brush up his act. In expecting the past to bring him future glory, it is he that lives in a fool’s paradise.