Avoiding the backlash, PPP strains to satisfy the ‘dissenters’

The controversy surrounding the former Sindh interior minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza is refusing to die down. While he came up with a string of accusations on Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) last month, called indisputable revelations by many, the dissent in the Pakistani People’s Party (PPP) Sindh’s rank is primarily due to the 2001 Local Government (LG) system that was to be revived this year.

The LG system was introduced by former army general Pervez Musharaf after repealing the controversial commissioner system. The demise of commissioner system, however, marked what could well be described as the beginning of a seemingly unending backlash within the ranks of PPP itself.

The voices of dissent arising from Sindh are too serious to be overlooked. The PPP derives its real power from Sindh where it has successfully outmanoeuvred any other political force – apart from the years of military dictatorships which have invariably tried to quell the party influence. Although the PPP has its conspicuous presence in all five provinces of Pakistan, Sindh remains to be its indubitable stronghold which it cannot afford to lose.

It was this reason that prompted the party leadership to dispatch its most influential member, PPP chief whip from Sindh, Khurshid Ali Shah, to Sindh to take the dissenting members into confidence. A meeting held in Karachi last night, attended by 84 legislators, came to end with assurances that nothing damaging will affect the province and the PPP.

To avoid the fallout of allowing the Musharaf-era LG system which is primarily aimed at bringing the MQM into fold, the PPP has to win over, including the PPP chapter in the province, the Sindh’s nationalist parties too which had expressed their immense displeasure on the revoking of the commissioner system.

While the PPP has survived many political onslaughts ever since it came in power in 2008 by winning the elections, the seemingly potential rift in Sindh will test the real negotiating skills of the party.

Forming alliances with the most hostile rivals like Muslim League Nawaz, Muslism League (Q) and MQM were not only difficult but also challenging, but the PPP succeeded in it. But how does it achieve consensus politics within its own ranks is something that the political observers will look with immense interest.

Posted by Sajjad Hussain on Oct 17 2011. Filed under Latest News, Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry