KARACHI: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has threatened to launch a robust public agitation if the federal government continues with its “campaign of retribution and vengeance against it, its leaders and the Sindh government”.
The decision was taken in a high-level consultative meeting held in Dubai on Saturday jointly chaired by Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Ahmed Shah briefed the meeting on the current political situation of the country.
The meeting took into consideration the ‘vindictive’ actions of the federal government against the PPP, stepped-up drive of federal investigative and accountability agencies in Sindh, interference by the federal authorities in the affairs of the Sindh government, preparations for the upcoming LG elections and seat adjustments, reorganisation of the party and related matters.
The PPP parliamentary leaders in the Senate and National Assembly were directed to raise the party issues vociferously in both houses of parliament and register protest against the federal government’s campaign of vengeance.
Moreover, the party would continue with its due role for strengthening of democracy and parliament while all conspiracies in this regard would be effectively countered.
A judicial recourse could be exercised by the party under which the apex judiciary could be moved against the acts of vengeance by the federal agencies against the PPP and its provincial govt. The strategy in this regard would be adopted with the support of legal experts of the party.
The party decided that seat adjustments for prospective candidates in the upcoming LG elections in Sindh and Punjab will be done at the district level while the provincial leadership will take into account the PPP district leaders in this regard.
The meeting resolved that major public gatherings would be held in five selected districts of Sindh and 10 chosen districts of Punjab in consultation with provincial and district leaders of the party in the run-up to the LG elections beginning in phases next month.
The central leaders of the PPP, including Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, would address these meetings.
Sources privy to the meeting said the PPP leadership resolved to conduct a full-fledged public contact campaign in Sindh and Punjab. Gatherings and corner meetings would be conducted at district and ward levels. Party offices will be opened in each ward.
The Central Executive Committee of the party has been authorised to carry out due reorganization of the party at provincial to ward levels while the top decision makers of the PPP would adopt a strategy in this regard.
The meeting also took into consideration special anti-terror and anti-crime powers delegated to law-enforcement agencies including the Rangers in Sindh by the provincial govt under the Anti-Terrorism Act and other criminal laws and related affairs likely to be tabled in Sindh Assembly for consideration and approval.
Yousuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Sherry Rehman, Syed Khursheed Shah, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, Faryal Talpur, Aitzaz Ahsan, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Rehman Malik, Mian Manzoor Wattoo, Naveed Qamar, Syed Akhunzada Chattan, and others attended the meeting.
INP/GN/AH
