Pakistan Peoples' Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto will chair a crucial meeting of top party leaders, including MNAs, senators and members of provincial assemblies on July 19 in London, with anti-government campaign, co-operation with other opposition parties and election prospects on top of the agenda.
Another important topic of the meeting will be the proposed no-trust motion against Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, as quite understandably, he is not going to fulfil ARD's demand of stepping down by July 31.
After the recent Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) meeting, both the government as well as the PPPP leadership has adopted a tough line against each other. As a token of disapproval of the system, all 55 MNAs have signed their resignations and handed over to the party.
A popular perception in the party is that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is in a tough spot after his failure to check price spiral, rampant corruption and a 'charge-sheet of the Supreme Court against privatisation of the Pakistan Steel Mills. Therefore, it is time to explore possible options to exert pressure on him that would ultimately negatively impact President General Musharraf. The venue of the upcoming meeting is likely to be the same where former premiers, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, had signed the Charter of Democracy last month. The PPPP chairperson has held back many party lawmakers, who were already in London for the high-profile rendezvous.
Party sources told Business Recorder on Monday, Ms Bhutto will allay apprehensions of some senior party leaders, particularly from Sindh, over increasing co-operation with Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and the possibility of joining hands with Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal in the anti-government drive. Reservations have intensified in some party circles about growing co-operation with PML-N, which has been the party's top rival since 1980s.
"The party leader is expected to allay apprehensions in this context, assuring the meeting that PPPP will jealously guard its separate identity," these sources maintained.
Information minister Mohammad Ali Durrani has billed the meeting as a 'publicity stunt', adding such 'activities' have already been taking place in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and London without impacting the domestic political chessboard. Meanwhile, ARD lawmakers filed an adjournment motion with the National Assembly regarding unannounced power load shedding in Karachi, seeking debate in the house.
The motion contended unannounced power outages have been a very serious problem, plaguing every segments of the society, be it residents, trade or industry despite repeated assurances even by water and power minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi on the floor of house that it would end soon.
The agonising phenomenon has caused frustration among masses, the motion said and called for a discussion on the matter. If the speaker finds it in order, he can allow a minimum two-hour debate on it. The motion has been moved under Rule 92 of the rules of business and conduct of the house. PML-N Khawaja Asif, Pervaiz Malik, and Aitzaz Ahsan, Naheed Khan, Fauzia Wahab, Sherry Rehman, Khurshid Shah, Pervaiz Ashraf, Yousaf Talpur, Zafar Ali Shah and Qamar Zaman signed the motion.