Some senior leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have exhorted President Asif Ali Zardari to mobilise party with a view to intensifying a campaign to promote its image by getting credit of good things like its efforts towards repealing the 17th amendment in the present extremely difficult political and security conditions, it is learnt.
After the dramatic saga of National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in the National Assembly, the party pundits are feeling it necessary to have better projection of the achievements made by PPP being in power. They were of the opinion that all the actions, like restoration of judiciary, were translated into reality by the ruling party, but the opposition was better placed, as far as equation with the lawyers' community is concerned, to get most of the credit.
Now following President Zardari's decision to leave fate of the NRO at the mercy of judiciary, instead of doing it away in the parliament, some of the senior but sincere PPP leaders have felt that the party's information wing should be fully mobilised to save it from another embarrassment, it is learnt.
Though a number of controversial things were settled so far, the party particularly, its Co-Chairperson President Zardari, has failed to take credit whether it is issue of restoration of judiciary or others. A PPP source said that there were visible divisions among the PPP leaders over the key policy matters. One group strongly believes in the implementation of Charter of Democracy (CoD) and restoration of 1973 Constitution in its original shape, but another heavily relies on what the source termed, "the doctrine of necessity."
A few, but sincere PPP leaders, are totally unhappy with the President's some past decisions he took by succumbing to the pressure of different quarters instead of toeing the party's line. The sources said that such decisions would not only deprive the party of the credit, but would also expose the government's strengthen while taking stand as far as its ideological policy was concerned.
It is worth mentioning that the government issued many orders/notifications like bringing ISI to the fold of Interior Ministry and making Thar Coal Authority a Federal organisation for expediting development work on the project to produce much-needed cheap electricity, but the orders backfired, lacking co-ordination among the decision-makers in the party entrusted with the job of running the government.
The source said that some senior party leaders, repenting on the past, had again suggested President Zardari to take at least the credit of scraping the 17th amendment and transfer powers, concentrated in the office of the President, to the parliament. "This should also not go to the credit of others. The PPP has no other option but taking some popular decisions at this crucial stage as the party's graph is falling steeply", the source opined.
The source quoted some leaders as reminding the President in their meeting held last Monday that the government, particularly ruling party, would again face embarrassment in the fast changing political scenario where even its close ally - Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) turned its back in the crucial battle for the President's political survival.
"It is in fact not the MQM betrayal, but it was their wise decision to take such a step by assessing the political atmosphere to save its own political image and stature. "Hence the PPP should also take such popular decisions if it wants to remain in politics in the long run", the PPP leader said.
He said that there were some elements around the President, who misguided him and continuously busy in damaging the party's ideology, which was saved by giving the blood of its major leadership. Those PPP leaders, who believe in implementing the CoD, include Mian Raza Rabbani, Khursaheed Shah, Safdar Abbasi, Naheed Khan, Enver Baig, Yousuf Talpur and even Makhdoom Amin Fahim.
Talking to Business Recorder, a close aide of late Chairperson of PPP Benazir Bhutto, Senator Safdar Abbasi, said that the solution to overcome the growing challenges faced by the PPP was the implementation of the CoD, which what he called was an excellent roadmap for "good governance." "Had the PPP implemented the CoD in its true spirit from the day one, the government would never have faced the present challenges," the PPP leader remarked.
On the NRO issue, Dr Abbasi further said had the PPP taken its coalition partners, including PML-N into confidence at the initial stages of government formation, the NRO could have been passed from the parliament. He said he was warning from the very beginning those unpopular decisions, which would ultimately dent the party's image in future.
"Time is precious, NRO should have been passed from the parliament at the very outset, but now the time has changed. Though the government has lost support due its own policies, it is, however, never too late," he said. He added that now the court cases would be re-opened and the fate of those who got relief under the NRO, hanged in balance. When he was asked about the fate of President Zardari after referring the NRO to the judiciary, he said: "Zardari Sahib is protected by the law as long as he is President, but you cannot escape from the public eye which makes and breaks political parties," he said.