The shifting of 'PPP crown" from Bhutto dynasty to Zardari not only stunned party workers at large scale, but also established a bond of anxiety for future party existence in continuation with Shaheed ZA Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto's political legacy, it is learnt.
The PPP workers were not fully confident on Zardari's role in future, but they said he would have to restore workers' confidence. The workers were of the view that they accepted Bhutto dynasty due to their great sacrifices and contributions, but now this was the time to prevent dynastic politics and changing the party into real political institution for future.
A large number of party workers were interviewed revealed that political culture and practices of new leaders would promote party philosophy or fail in masses but nothing can be predicted before time at this stage.
However, a large number of cadres joined the PPP just because of anti-establishment role were found disappointed in the scenario and they were of the view that betrayal from basic agenda would invite revolt in party lines. Some old guards quoted Zardari's speeches delivered in 2005 in favour of establishment.
He delivered a quick message of friendship to the establishment on his arrival in Lahore from UAE in 2005. Significantly, Zardari did not use the kind of language against General Pervez Musharraf usually expressed by the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy during that time.
However, a senior PPP leader Malik Altaf Ali Khokhar was found positively optimistic for party future, saying PPP needs re-emergence of culture of self-criticism in the party which even did not spare party leaders in past time. The PPP has been facing three major challenges which include week party structure, re-connectivity with cadre and substitute leadership at the grassroots level.
He said that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was the princess of downtrodden classes and she left her luxury style of living at lower levels. He said that Zardari must focus on re-connection of party cadre to strengthen party at the grassroots level for future survival otherwise his exercise would be futile.
The PPP local leaders in almost every town and district were not spreading party but they were promoting their own entities to secure their vested interests. This is the bad luck to the party that present impotent office-bearers have no their own substitute at district level and workers does not know about the whereabouts of party office-bearers except knowing the city and district president, general secretaries, he said.
The same situation exists at the provincial level where workers only know Punjab PPP President Shah Mehmood Qureshi, having no knowledge about rest of office-bearers in the provincial level.
The party should prevent from personality cult and uni-party leader culture and the new party leadership must induct substitutes of party office-bearers for the spread of party institution. Khokhar was optimistic about Zardari, saying the time would decide results of political practices and can not be predicted yet before.
A PPP worker Malik Azam Bappi, who joined the PPP in 1974, was feared about future unity in the party under the umbrella of Zardaris, saying he was much worried on the matter. Bappi also convinced that Makhdoom Amin Fahim was figure head to Shaheed BB but it would be quite difficult for him to enjoy the same status under Zardaris.
Some workers were of the view that Zardari has no good experience in Punjab where he established Bilawal House but left without playing any role. Sources said that Zardari had developed an understanding with Musharraf in 2005 to get 50 percent district governments in local body polls and he established Bilawal House in Lahore to capture the next local body polls.
The then Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, however, foiled Zardari's move and presented audio tapes of key Punjab PPP stalwarts except PPP Senior Vice Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani and leaders were found strongly criticising and opposing Zardari.
Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani was the only leader whose conversations could not be recorded due to his captivity under NAB trial. The audio cassettes gave an impression to Musharraf that Zardari would not be acceptable to majority of Punjab PPP leaders which played key role in breaking understanding between Zardari and Musharraf. For that reasons Zardari's reception in Lahore on April 16, 2005 was flopped. Zardari also received cardiac attack in coming months which forced him for treatment in US and BB advised him to avoid politics.
The People's Lawyer Forum division general secretary Malik Muhammad Ali said that he was expecting the induction of Zardari as he faced long jail for party and he deserved for the office of co-chairman. He was optimistic about bright future of party under the leadership of Zardari.
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