Future of PPP Gulsher Panhwer Notwithstanding, allegations of rigging and manipulation, PPP swept the elections in Sindh and was wiped out in the rest of the three provinces. Now, again it has mandate to rule roost in the province for next five years. It was hoped on the onset of the elections results that PPP top leadership might have realized that it is now relegated to the status of regional party, it often taunted the PMLN for but if it did not learn lessons from its past blunders and desisted from repeating its past mistake it must prepare itself for washing hands from its only stronghold, Sindh. But perhaps politicians with rare exception are hard at learning lessons from their past mistakes. Soon after the announcement of election result, one PPP leader (now speaker of Sindh Assembly) announced that PPP lead government in Sindh is going to abolish its policy of reconciliation and except MQM all other opponents would be taken to task. This threat was executed in full swing and in Dadu district opponents from different political parties were dragged to the police stations and the traditions of filling fabricated cases was adhered to in its entirety. Sharjeel Memon, Provincial Information minister and the PPP chief whip in Sindh has brought intensity to his past five years role of PML-N bashing and he is leading his party MPAs in accusing PML-N and Punjab for depriving the people of Sindh and government of Sindh from its due share of financial and water resources. He is exact prototype of Saif Rehman, the accountability chief of Nawaz Sharif’s past government who during the decade of 90s persecuted PPP with full state force On other hand PML-N focused its last five years to deliver to the people and apart from implementing its practice of relatively good governance, the PM Nawaz Sharif is eager to see other provincial government to replicate the same in the rest of the three provinces. His intention is evident from the polices that he announce to continue the income support program and other ongoing projects and programs of PPP but the PPP leadership, averse to the performance and serving people has brought more vigor to the countering strategies of criticizing the federal government on trivial matters such as removing the name of BB from income support program etc. When PPP was ruling center and has friendly collation government in the provinces including Sindh. The likes of Babar Awan and Rehman Malik used to frequently visit the capital of Sindh, dictating the octogenarian CM and Cabinet Members how to settle matters with coalition partners and manage the routine Karachi carnage without taking concrete measures to eradicate terrorism and crime from the metropolis. The two non Sindhi gentle men from center usually made important announcements on the matters purely coming in the domain of provincial government including one announcement made by Babar Awan about the controversial local body system when the CM Sindh and other PPP leaders stood by his side with blank smiles on their otherwise dejected faces. But now when the PMLN has got mandate at center the entire PPP leadership and members of Sindh Assembly are seen up in arms on the mere statements of the Federal Home Minister Ch Nisar Ahmed on Karachi situation. This all shows that PPP government instead of bringing some degree of improvement in its governance will continue to harness its energies on destructive strategies of brining the culture of delivering to the public by PML-N to disrepute and this way snatch its mandates in future. That said it doesn’t mean that PML has no faults of its own; it has many, especially after assuming power it has put burden on the already squeezed majority instead of boarding tax net and taxing those big fish who are wallowing in wealth and all kinds of luxuries. But this is starting point and if PMLN failed to resolve load shading, joblessness, ever increasing inflation and terrorism then it will also be rejected by masses. But we here in Sindh are left to the same stock who have ravaged the institutions and departments and broken all records of the past bad governance and corruption. Now media and critics of PPP government are placed in precarious position. Whenever anyone raises the voice against the bad state of provincial infrastructure or demise of the basic facilities like education and health, the prompt reply is thrown with disdain to the critics that PPP has got fresh mandate. That despite all the allegations of corruption, cronyism, selling of islands, introduction of controversial duel system, people of Sindh have given fresh mandate to the PPP, and that you have no right to criticize the government of the people, by people and for the people. PPP should wakeup to the winds of change burgeoning under its power carpet. PPP has won election in Sindh after bringing all its traditional rival waderas, feudal lords in its fold and applying all tactics of pre and post election ringing it used to be victim itself in the past. Moreover the divide of anti PPP votes among assorted independent candidates was another major reason in the favor of PPP. Despite these the opponents in many constituencies were defeated on close margins and surprisingly some seats and polling stations were won by PTI in urban parts of Sindh. Even in rural part of Sindh where PTI candidates could not run vibrant election campaign, they secured considerable number of votes. These all factors in future can collectively give tough time to PPP and send it home if the top leadership of the party did not read bold writings on walls about its gloomy future. gulsherp@yahoo
Posted on: Fri, 05 Jul 2013 05:49:14 +0000
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