Some style but little substance
A section of the Punjab PPP leadership holds Zardari’s policy of conciliation with the Sharifs, which was terminated recently, responsible for party’ woes in the province. Last year some of the Punjab leaders conveyed their sentiments to the co-chairman when he briefly camped in Lahore. They were given a shut up call. The Punjab leaders, however, noticed the differences between the father and the son on the issue. Combined with Bilwal’s scathing criticism of MQM, the differences led to the temporary sidelining of Bilwal and his return to Britain. The failure of Zardari’s policy has led the Punjab leaders to believe that their position has been vindicated.
Bilawal Bhutto’s address to party workers in Lahore was a tirade against the PML-N policies. It was, however, less well-written and rehearsed than his speech in Karachi in October 18 last year. Some of his advisers wrongly believe that to win support in Punjab the PPP chairman must roar and thunder and as Firdous Ashiq Awan graphically put it ‘act like Maula Jatt and Nurie Nath’. It is insulting the common man’s intelligence to suggest that he does not care for the content of a speech and is swayed solely by oratory.
As things stand PPP’s ratings in Punjab have hit the rock bottom. While Bilwal is right to point out some of the gravest failures of the PML-N government, the way the PPP is running Sindh does not create confidence in the party’s claims of being better than others. There is a need on the PPP’s part to conduct a candid review of its failures during its five-year rule that alienated many. The PPP also needs to come up with a new policy that differentiates it from others and while catering to the aspirations of the people, it does not set unrealistic goals. Fiery speeches are fine but the people soon get weary of them. Addresses delivered in ZAB’s style but lacking in substance wouldn’t take PPP much further.
