The PPP leadership in the Punjab is deliberating upon the security measures for party chairman Bilawal Bhutto to move freely in the province which the loyalists think the party cannot afford to ignore any longer.
“The impression is growing among the party rank and file as if only Sindh or Larkana matters to the PPP’s top leadership. To negate this perception and reverse party’s fortunes, you need to sit in Lahore and focus more on the Punjab”.
This was the message the PPP leaders conveyed to party chairman the other day. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had hours-long meeting with sdvisors, known as loyalists, in Dubai to make an assessment of the PPP’s present standing and also how to revamp it that could fire the imagination of the youth especially which has emerged as a major political force to be reckoned with.
The meeting was attended by Fawad Chaudhry, Jehangir Badar, Barriaster Masood Kausar, Jamil Somroo, Basir Riaz and few others in Dubai on March 19th.
The participants disclosed that no change in Punjab is in the offing any time soon nor the party leadership indicated anything to such an effect. “It is useless to change one person and bring another without hearing the stakeholders. Change will come only after thorough deliberation and hearing from the party rank and file,” Ch Fawad said while talking to Pakistan Today on his return from Dubai.
Fawad informed that Bilawal would visit Lahore in April after the Bhuttoo’s death anniversary. “In fact Bilawal is ready to come to Punjab but our problem is security. We are making some plan to overcome this problem,” he assured.
According to PPP circles, the participants gave their fair assessment of the party and suggestions to bring changes in the party hierarchy that could mobilise the PPP workers in the first place and also reach out to the silent majority to win their hearts and minds.
In the meeting, detailed discussions were held on the factors which led to inflict electoral debacle on the party in May 2013 elections besides focusing on deliberations regarding veracity of the elections rigging by the PML(N) to manipulate mandate in their favour. The participants reportedly urged the leadership that the party should push the authentication of thumb impressions in four constituencies of Lahore as indicated by the PTI.
According to sources, the participants apprised the chairman that the people and workers of the PPP were disgruntled because the PPP democratic government did not come to their expectations and the rampant corruption cobbled with bad governance eroded the political base of the party bringing wide-spread electoral rejection of the voters in the last general elections.
They also pointed out that the political environment in the country was favourable for the PPP because of the clarity of its stance as espoused by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on the issues of extremism and terrorism, ransacking of Hindu temple in Larkana and outright rejection of the recent recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology.
They suggested that the PPP should keep clarity at the foremost as a part of its strategy because people were getting sick of other parties which were embroiled in utter confusion and were being held responsible for lack of consensus on issues of national importance.
I personally feel people of Punjab can only welcome him if he comes roaring as according to his stance against religious extremists because it is the missing factor within the Punjab political arena. Lahore along with other big cities been portrayed under the firm clutches of extremists by the media favoring PML-N yet the situation is different, ground realities shows frustration amongst ordinary people because over all scenario and right now people who joined PTI are not all happy with the nexus of IK with Jamat e Islami. It is pertinent to understand modification in the party hierarchy, new urban faces are needed in metro's, new schemes to relaunch and attract youth, reorganization on every level with a special focus on business community. Above all a proper concentrated media strategy to highlight his presence in Punjab / Lahore.
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