Asif Ali Zardari is a latecomer to the power games in the country than Nawaz Sharif, but seems to have learned more dexterously and faster the political manoeuvring needed in the post-Zia ‘democratic’ era.

That is how many rated the PPP co-chairman in the context of the recent election of half of the Senate seats and its chairman. They say Zardari’s political wheeling-dealing won the party yet another victory, albeit psychological. As one observer put it: “He came; he held few meetings; and he outmanoeuvred the ruling PML-N in the race.”

Most analysts think the unopposed election of PPP’s Raza Rabbani as Senate chairman will keep the party relevant until March 2018, three months before the general election and a date when the PML-N will gain control of the Senate. Ironically, some in the PPP don’t agree the party needed to cobble a political alliance for that.

Take a look: Parliament watch: Cleaner Senate elections, same old dirty politics

Political circles too are wondering whether winning the Senate chairmanship turns out to be Zardari’s last political masterstroke at the national level. With the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) emerging as a potent political force on the national scene, they ask, what are the options for Zardari & Co to keep the PPP a serious contender in the coming political and electoral battles in the country?

In background discussions, members of the party’s inner sanctum betray unhappiness over Zardari’s style of running the show. And some sound rational in their argument.

A veteran PPP lawmaker noted that in the past the party could recapture lost ground because the Bhuttos never compromised on its liberal outlook.

“Despite the lurking danger to her life, Benazir Bhutto chose to challenge the Taliban at her last election rally on December 27, 2007. Minutes later, she was assassinated. Now look at our present party leadership. How happily it has joined hands with the purest rightwing political parties,” he said talking to Dawn, pain written on his face.

“What possible justification Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will have when tomorrow people question him about his party being hand-in-glove with Maulana Fazlur Rehman?” the PPP leader asked referring to the election of JUI-F’s Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri as the deputy chairman of the Senate.

A similarly unhappy PPP office-bearer from Punjab found ‘no big deal’ in capturing the Senate chairmanship for Raza Rabbani, the PPP star who quit the party to be neutral in his new position.

“What if we had lost election for the chairman Senate?” he asked, since, as a majority party in the upper house, the PPP would still be relevant to legislative business.

But, the sight of Raza Rabbani sharing the Senate pulpit with Maulana Haideri would be “an eyesore for diehard party workers for the next three years”.

“I wish the party co-chairman spends his time and talent in reviving the PPP in Punjab, where it continues losing ground to the PTI. Unfortunately, the leadership does not realise that fact,” he said.

According to the bitter PPP office-bearer, the best bet is to re-launch the PPP in Punjab, the most populous province; “else nothing will remain for the young Bhutto to retrieve.”

Asif Ali Zardari has returned to Karachi with his “Senate trophy” only to find the party facing unprecedented developments over the MQM, whose sway in urban Sindh, and particularly Karachi, is a thorn for all other forces in the country - political, commercial and security.

The MQM is at the centre of the storm but its force is shaking the PPP government in Sindh as well because of the nexus between the two “criminal ranks” of the MQM, hauled up by the Rangers clearing Karachi of bad elements, are said to be disclosing.

It is clear to the PPP that the noose is being tightened for the MQM leadership. Indeed, Asif Zardari reportedly told the PPP legislators he called this week to discuss the situation that he has decided to stand by the MQM in its hour of trial and invited the MQM to rejoin the provincial government. Though the PPP’s on-again off-again love affair with the MQM since 2008 general elections allowed it to play politics to its advantage, his decision has ruffled few feathers in the party.

For some Sindhi PPP leaders, the present ominous-looking scenario demands caution – that is, stay out of the crisis the MQM is facing.

“Personally, I believe the co-chairman has jumped into the fray unnecessarily, which was avoidable for us, in Sindh,” said one leader.

“By opening our arms to MQM, we are denying whatever evidence and convicted criminals the Rangers seized from (the MQM HQ) 90,” he said.

But to political analysts, Zardari’s decision to realign with the MQM is pragmatism and realpolitik as the PPP could face similar action by the Rangers at some point.

Since the apex committee, formed in the provinces to implement the counterterrorism National Action Plan, has virtually taken over the control of Sindh government, they say, Zardari’s offer to MQM to share power is nothing more than offering sympathy without tea.

One PPP lawmaker from Sindh said the situation called for “bold politics, calling a spade a spade” but regretted the party leadership was acting otherwise. “Already restricted to Sindh, if we don’t play our cards well, things will really get tough for us in the coming weeks and months.

Published in Dawn March 20th, 2015

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