News
Thursday, April 11, 2013
PPP has transformed into an ‘elitist club’By Tanveer Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), once known for being the party of poor masses, has transformed rapidly into what is now genuinely being called an “elitist club”.
As the general elections 2013 are fast approaching, the party should have been gearing up for the polls. However, the ground reality is that it is far from mobilising its workers, responsibility for which rests solely with the growing influence of the elites, and feudal mentality that has almost engulfed the whole party. Having little to claim credit for during its five year rule, the party is embroiled in the tickets’ issue now, which is likely to be the last straw on the camel’s back because of the awarding of tickets on the whims and wishes of a few movers and shakers rather than taking on board the entire party structure, which used to be hallmark of the party.
This is the same party that pulled off Fazal Hussain Rahi from ashes and propelled him to the assemblies. The poor Fazal Hussain Rahi was a street vendor of fruit and a diehard jiyala of the party. Another glaring example was Sultan Mahmood Qazi of short height but who was larger than life. What he contributed to the party and the democratic struggle in the country was a reflection of the pro-worker party that has now faded away into the dust of the history.
If one looks at the current state of affairs of the party, one can see that sheer disappointment prevails upon the ranks of the party, as only the feudal and rich are being accommodated for the general election on party tickets. Though a few from the middle class and workers were taken care off while tickets were being awarded, but these few do not represent the real face of the party in contrast to the business tycoons and landlords, who are in such majority they would have the final word if the party is again voted to power in the upcoming general elections.
If one analysed the situation the federal capital immediately comes to one’s mind where workers class or those having long association with the party are simply cornered and tickets are awarded to those who have never sacrificed for the party. Faisal Sakhi Butt, the party ticket holder from NA-48, had nothing to his credit except having served the party leadership in one way or other. The political circles in the capital strongly believe that the PPP would not be able to bag this seat against the PML-N in the presence of such a weak candidate.
Political pundits feel they have other people like Ch Amjad Ayab, having considerable clout in the rural areas of the constituency who can prove a hard nut to crack for PML-N candidate. Likewise, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, another party ticket-holder for federal capital’s constituency NA-49, jumped on the bandwagon of the PPP from PML-Q when it was ruling in Centre and his father’s votes turned the tide against PPP’s Syed Nayyer Bokhari when he was defeated by a few hundreds vote in the last general elections.
Insiders confided that Nayyer Hussain Bokhari is not happy with awarding of the ticket to Khokhars in this constituency and even the jiyalas are not content with this move of the party. But what the big bosses have in their minds is beyond the comprehension of everyone, what to talk about the poor jiyalas.
The situation of PPP in Rawalpindi Division, once a stronghold of the party, does not portray a rosy picture too as far as the electoral gains are concerned and too that due to decision making in the close circle rather than taking on board the grass roots level worker. For example, Malik Amir Fida Paracha, a stalwart of the party in Ralawpindi and its city president, simply refused to contest the elections from NA-56 because of a blue-eyed boy of Zardari House, Rizwan Querashi, who once behaved with him so indecently that he thought it better to sit at home rather than wasting money on contesting elections on the ticket of a party that has minimal chances of achieving victory in the city. The old workers of the party in the city who have had long association from the times of ZA Bhutto to Benazir Bhutto are, though still loyal to the party, are passing through a phase of disappointment. “It doesn’t look like the party of Bhuttos rather a party of property tycoons and wealthy people, in which money is the only merit to get to top slot,” a dejected worker remarked.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk