RAWALPINDI: The local chapter of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Sunday celebrated birthday of former president and co-chairman of the party, Asif Ali Zardari, at a ceremony held at the party office which was attended by a dozen office-bearers.

None of the party workers was invited to the function nor were they ready to attend the function.

“Even if they invited us we would not have participated in the function as Asif Ali Zardari is not our leader,” said Mazhar Hussain, an old worker of the party who was injured in December 27 bomb attack in which PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto was assassinated.

He said that PPP had been reduced to local party of Sindh due to bad policies of Asif Ali Zardari. “PPP voters and workers never accept Zardari as their leader,” he said.

He said that Bilawal Bhutto was last hope but he had to shun the politics of his father otherwise, the workers would not accept him also.

“PPP workers want revival of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party but the present leadership has widened the communication gap between party workers and leadership,” he said.

Saleem Javed, another party worker, said the party office had become a site to celebrate the birthdays only.

“The party workers are being ignored which is evident from the fact that they return empty-handed when they visit the office to seek help for their problems,” he said.

On the other hand, PPP City President Amir Fida Paracha and local workers gathered at party office and cut the birthday cake of Asif Ali Zardari.

Speaking on the occasion, Amir Fida Paracha said the PPP would win the local government elections in the coming days and to fear of this, PML-N is trying to postpone the elections.

He said the party workers were united under the leadership of Asif Ali Zardari. He said that the party’s performance in last tenure would force the people to vote for the party again.

Mr Paracha said the PPP worked hard for the development of the country and build soft image of the country in the world.

He said that despite all the odds, the party managed to bring the country out of crises in its last five year tenure.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2015

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