PESHAWAR: The provincial chapter of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz managed, after a long time, to gather a large number of its workers to show its strength and devise a strategy for countering the sit-in, staged by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in Islamabad against its federal government, but it failed to achieve the desired goal from the event owing to internal differences and indiscipline.

The workers convention of PML-N, held on Sept 19 in Peshawar, had been planned in the party’s provincial council to devise an effective strategy for countering the PTI’s protest and announce a future line of action so that the workers could also hold such rallies in their respective districts against the provincial government of PTI in Khyber Pakhunkhwa.

Although PML-N activists from different districts had reached in time to Eidgah Ground, the venue of the event on Charsadda Road in Peshawar, yet none of the leaders turned up timely to engage the workers till start of the convention.

It was a good opportunity for the party leadership to give a message to the workers for mobilising people against the provincial government but it fell pray to indiscipline, lack of coordination among the organisers of the event and internal differences among the old and new workers of PML-N.

Indiscipline, grouping and lack of coordination among local leaders mar big gathering of party in Peshawar

The PML-N leaders could not convey the party’s message to the crowd, perhaps, owing to lack of coordination among the leaders of different groups within the party. The workers were seen divided.

They were displaying the posters and photos of the leaders of their respective groups. They raised slogans in

favour of their group leaders while only few slogans were heard in support of PML-N central leader Mian Nawaz Sharif.

Similarly, indiscipline among the workers was quite visible as most of them were trying to reach to the stage which caused disturbance and also created problems for journalists, who boycotted the event but PML-N provincial secretary information Nasir Khan Musazai managed to bring them back to the venue for coverage.

The blunder, which spoiled the spirit of the big gathering, was committed by none other than PML-N provincial president Pir Sabir Shah, who raised the slogan of ‘go Nawaz go’ repeatedly to which the participants responded with whistling, shouting and hooting. PML-N senior vice president Eng Amir Muqam tried to cover-up Mr Shah’s mistake by denying it before the media but he could not do so because media had flashed it to the extent that it became talk of the town.

According to sources, it is no more a secret that PML-N is suffering from a rift in the province.

The supporters of Mr Muqam are still called the ‘new-comers’ in the party. Grouping in the party is also visible in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). PML-N workers express their views, off and on, with sorrow about rift in the party.

Sources said that PML-N workers were still loyal to their leadership despite the fact that they had some serious grievances and used to blame the federal ministers of their party for avoiding the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The PTI’s sit-in has infused a new spirit in the PML-N workers to get moblised but the party’s future still seems bleak in the province mainly owing to lack of coordination among its local leaders.

Background interviews with some senior PML-N activists suggest that the party’s future is bright but it needs serious steps on part of the central leadership to remove the differences and take action against all those, who are using the workers for their personal projection.

Sources said that PML-N central leadership should focus on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to initiate some mega projects, take pragmatic steps for welfare of the people and development of the province.

Referring to the destruction caused by militancy and terrorism in the province, they said that the previous federal government neglected the affected families which increased unrest among people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“It is very suitable time for PML-N to serve the people, redress their grievances and also activate its dormant workers to strengthen the party in the province,” sources said.

They also suggested changes in the office-bearers of the party at provincial level and said that all groups should accept each other sincerely and honestly for the future of the party.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2014