LAHORE: The Pakistan People’s Party has finally decided not to go for a ‘big rally’ in Lahore to mark its Foundation Day on Nov 30.

Not agreeing to a suggestion to hold a ‘big rally’ either outside the Bilawal House (Bahria Town) or Minar-i-Pakistan in connection with the Foundation Day, it was decided in the party leaders meeting that it would be a ‘workers’ convention to be held inside the Bilawal House’.

The meeting was held at the Bilawal House here on Tuesday to finalise the Foundation Day main event in Lahore on Nov 30.

It was attended by former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gialni, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, Punjab PPP president Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, south Punjab PPP president Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Senator Jahangir Badar, former NA speaker Dr Fahmeda Mirza, PPP’s KPK president Kanzada Khan, Balochistan PPP president Sadiq Imrani, Baltistan Chief Minister Syed Mehdi Shah, Tanvir Ashraf Kaira, Rana Farooq, Aslam Gill, Samina Ghurki, Akhanzada Chittan, Barrister Masood Kausar and Maula Bux Chandio.

Although some of the leaders proposed that the PPP should show its political strength in Punjab in connection with the Foundation Day, consensus could not be reached. Senior leaders agreed to the other proposal that it was not right time to go for a ‘big rally’ to mark the Foundation Day.

Party’s Foundation Day on Nov 30

“The PPP can hold a Karachi-like big rally in Lahore in the current political scenario. The PPP should show its strength in Punjab by holding a big rally on the occasion,” a participant suggested. But his proposal did not find many takers perhaps the party is not prepared right now for a major political show in the province where it apparently has conceded its position to the Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf.

Manzoor Wattoo told Dawn that the meeting had decided to hold a convention at the Bilawal House on Nov 30. “The office-bearers of all provinces and workers will also attend the event and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will interact with them,” he said.

Mr Wattoo however dispelled the impression that the PPP was not in a position to mobilize the workers in Punjab for a ‘big political show’. “We have decided to hold workers conventions across Punjab and other parts of the country which will be addressed by Mr Bilawal. After that we will go for public rallies,” he said.

He said the participants of the meeting had also submitted some recommendations in this regard to the chairman.

During the meeting it was decided that the convention in Punjab would be held on Jan 20, in south Punjab on Jan 31, in Sindh in first week of February, in Gilgit Baltistan in April.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Jehangir Badr said the PPP delegates from all the provinces, including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, would participate in Foundation Day convention.

He said Bilawal Bhutto would preside over the convention to meet workers from all over the country. He said the event had special significance because it was being held in Lahore after a long time. “Mr Bilawal will give line of action to be followed by the workers and office-bearers,” he added.

He argued that the PPP was the liberal and progressive Party whereas most of other parties were status-quo parties who had no programme for the overall development of the people.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2014