Zardari meets Divisional coordinators, district presidents: Electoral setbacks normal in democratic dispensation

Former President and Co- Chairman PPP, Asif Ali Zardari while addressing the divisional coordinators and district presidents of Central Punjab said that the Party would continue to play an important and decisive role for the continuity and strengthening of democracy in the country. These are the times to move with cool headed approach without being emotional, he added.
He observed that if the incumbent democratic government had collapsed the fall out would have been definitely against the democracy and the people of Pakistan. The resultant space would have been usurped by the forces of our disliking, he maintained. He recalled that the some office bearers were of the view during Foundation Day occasion that new elections were a matter of few months adding he knew the least possibility of turn of such events. He added now the same people were foreseeing elections after two years adding the time should be utilised for staging come back of the Party.
Co- Chairman said that electoral setbacks were normal in a democratic dispensation adding that the Party had to face similar situation in the past but came to power again after winning elections.
He said that Sri Lankan President lost elections despite the fact that his Party had sizeable majority in the Parliament. Similarly, he added, the Indian Congress was defeated by the BJP whose one ideologue murdered their "Bapu". He said that his whole focus was on the organisation of the PPP because once the Party was fully organized then electable ones would follow it like anything and the Party would enjoy wider choice.
He said that he was not going to hold more rallies in the face of the security threats from terrorists and would also not like to put the office bearers and the workers to such a grave risks at this point of time. He said he would however hold big rallies in KPK and Faisalabad after consultations with the Party leaders of Punjab and the KPK.
He maintained that he managed to complete the five years in the office through the policy of reconciliation by making most of the political parties as stakeholders in the system. "I was in a position to form government in KPK but dropped the idea for the sake of the policy of reconciliation and democracy."
He observed that the government of "Niazi" in KPK optimised failure. Earlier, Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, President Punjab PPP, thanked the Chairman for sparing time to meet the divisional co-coordinators and district presidents. He said that he would embark on a tour of 26 districts of Punjab and 4 of Lahore from next month to review and improve the pace of the organisation of all tiers. He added that he would also hold workers conventions with a view to establish direct contact with them and also address the grievances, if any.
He added that he would also submit a detailed report to the Party top leadership containing his assessment of the Party and the suggestions to make it more robust. Divisional co-coordinators and district Presidents also spoke on the occasion in which they urged the need of establishing grassroots contacts. They said that there was dire need to mobilise the youth, women and minorities because these segments of the society had been the great support for the Party.
They expressed their resolve to complete the mission of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto come what may. The divisional co-coordinators and district presidents who spoke in the meeting included, Roy Shah Jehan, Milk Tahir, Muhammad Mushtaq, Sardar Saleem, Zahid Zulfiqar, Zaki Chaudhry and Afzal.
Those who were sitting with the Co- Chairman included Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, Tanvir Ashraf Kaira, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Jehangir badar, Sherry Rehman, Rukhsana Bangish, Fauzia Wahab, Rehman Milk and Mahreen Raja. Haji Aziz-ur- Rehman Chan Suhail Milk, Rana Gul Nasir, Manzoor Manke, and Raja Amir were also present in the meeting.