Will not make a difference
With PML-N and PPP having been confined respectively to Punjab and Sindh, both have concentrated on preserving what they possess without trying to put life in party units in other provinces. After September 2014, this was Bilawal’s third visit to Lahore in three years. During the 2014 visit, Bilawal had vowed to once again “make Punjab a citadel of PPP”. To be fair to him, he is still required to work under the shadow of Zardari and is not authorised to take any major decision on his own. Further, his movements remain constrained on account of security considerations.
Bilawal’s most important public engagement in Lahore was his address to Lahore High Court Bar where he laid out the party’s stand regarding important issues related to judiciary. He advocated revisiting the procedure for the judges’ appointment, setting up of a Constitution Court, regulating the use of suo motu powers, provision of speedy and inexpensive justice and legislation to prevent misuse of blasphemy laws. He also called for across the board accountability without exempting any section of society. These are vital issues and what the PPP Chairman said carries weight. Some of his recommendations require constitutional changes. There is a need on the part of the PPP parliamentarians to take them up in the two houses to get these thoroughly examined.
The PPP is in a bad shape in Punjab. The party’s rout in 2013 elections was well-deserved on account of its neglect of the common man during the five-year long party rule. The sole criterion for foisting the present leadership on Punjab party was its expertise in wheeling dealing rather than mass appeal. Consequently, the leadership failed to stem the tide of discontent in provincial leadership and in the common workers. The major reason behind Bilawal’s visit to Lahore was to meet party leaders from central and south Punjab chapters. A visit a year by the party Chairman with no power to take decisions on his own can hardly revitalise the demoralised Punjab PPP.