As a PPP supporter it pains me to witness the erosion of the part leadership's credibility due to their wavering stance on the issue of judiciary. The people of Pakistan expect Mr Zardari to either walk the talk or stop the rhetoric.
He unfortunately either has not evaluated the damage this unprincipled stand has done to the party or is no more interested in the party's domination of politics. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto gained prominence, when he stood up to defy Field Marshall Ayub Khan in the wake of Tashkent Declaration.
He became a symbol of defiance and won the hearts and minds of the populace, sick and tired of a dictator, who had scuttled democracy, distorted the Quaid's message and rigged an election.
Thereafter Bhutto Sahib for decades, even after his judicial murder, has played a pivotal role in Pakistani politics and continues to do so. His political heiress the dynamic Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, quickly learned the skills and art of politics.
While she manoeuvred her return to Pakistan through negotiations, she always had her finger on the pulse of the people. On return she immediately responded to the people's wishes and demanded restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar, free and fair elections by an independent Election Commission and economic well-being of the masses.
Today Chaudhry Iftikhar has become a symbol of defiance, by his act of refusing to submit to the generals, who had ruled with an iron hand, destroyed all institutions including the armed forces.
For eight years General Musharraf abused his position, without any credible resistance. The act of defiance by Chief Justice Iftikhar and protest marches led by Aitzaz Ahsan, Munir Malik, Ali Ahmed Kurd and others rekindled the flames of political activity and a movement which demanded restoration of democracy, removal of Musharraf and an independent judiciary led by Chief Justice Iftikhar. The PPP, of all other parties, was expected to stand up for restoration of judiciary to its 2nd November 2007 state.
Benazir Bhutto's procession in Karachi had been subjected to violence, with over 180 fatalities, yet the police refused to register an FIR on instructions of Musharraf regime and his nominated Sindh Governor. Her assassination in Rawalpindi was followed by surgical removal of all forensic evidence.
Mr Zardari's style of politics must change and he must keep pace with the pulse of the nation, instead of handing over key posts to his personal friends, who have had no ideological commitment to ZAB or Mohtarma Benazir.