LAHORE:
As hopes of forming the next government in Islamabad fade, the PPP continues its policy of indecisiveness, according to party leaders, who fear that the party’s inability to make the necessary policy decisions could further alienate potential voters who would like to see it fill the political vacuum left by the embattled PTI.
Party leaders in Punjab said the lack of clear political direction is making it difficult for them to pave the way for a comeback in the province, two officials told The Express PAkGazette.
A leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, sarcastically said that the party seems to be relying on the establishment to secure its position in the next general election, depending on the agreement that is finally reached on seats and power sharing. “Our hands are tied and our lips are sealed; we cannot say anything against the PML-N’s rule in Punjab,” he said.
He added that those who even consider taking a strong stance against government decisions are deterred from doing so within the party.
Another leader said there was a growing sense of demoralization within the party after it was largely excluded from key political and mediation-related meetings in Islamabad.
He said any advantage the party may have gained from President Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s tenure as foreign minister was no longer relevant, adding that foreign minister Ishaq Dar had “surpassed all his predecessors in every way”.
He regretted that the party had not been formally consulted in the process. “Despite holding important positions, including the presidency, the PPP only had front row seats in the stands; we were never invited to the arena,” he said, adding: “We should have gone to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when we had the chance, instead of asking for the moon.”
Leaders said that even now, when it is increasingly evident that the PPP’s cautious approach towards the establishment may not yield electoral gains, the party is not recalibrating its political narrative.
“Our risk aversion will prove costly,” one leader warned, adding that current policy is essentially aimed at appeasing powerful actors. “People expect us to hold up a mirror to the government inside and outside parliament, but we only fire broadsides when the central leadership wants to exert pressure as a bargaining chip.”
They added that the PPP would find it difficult to strengthen its position in Punjab despite the perceived political vacuum. While the party may attract some elected officials and notables, they said, it would still be unable to challenge the PML-N’s dominance without building its own vote bank.
Several PPP leaders were contacted for official comment but declined. Party spokesperson Nadeem Afzal Chan was also contacted several times but was not available for comment.
