DADU: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Sindh president Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has issued a show-cause notice to the party’s former Dadu taluka president Mohammad Omar Panhwar for defying the higher leadership’s decision of re-designating him as deputy information secretary of its Dadu district chapter.

Mr Panhwar has been given seven days to explain his position to avoid action over his act of violating the party discipline.

The notice was issued after PPP’s Dadu district president MNA Rafique Ahmed Jamali complained to Mr Khuhro that not only had Mr Panhwar refused to accept the decision, but also started holding protests against the district leadership.

Mr Jamali maintained that it was in line with the aspirations of party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari that a reshuffle had been carried out in the taluka leadership of Khairpur Nathan Shah, Mehar and Dadu. The changes were welcomed at UC level and taken as good decisions by the party chief, he added.

Pir Mazhar, son accused of stirring defiance

Mr Jamali also alleged that Mr Panhwar was encouraged to defy the new arrangement at the instigation of MPA Pir Mujeebul Haq and his father (former education minister) Pir Mazharul Haq.

In his letter to the PPP Sindh president, MNA Jamali also alleged that Pir Mazhar and Pir Mujeeb had worked against the party during the previous local government elections.

MPA Pir Mujeeb instantly rejected all the allegations against him and his father. He reaffirmed his loyalty with the party.

Meanwhile, Naveed Ahmed, the spokesman for Pir Mazhar and Pir Mujeeb, through a statement rejected the reshuffle in the party’s taluka and town office-bearers in Dadu district.

His statement noted that some self-appointed people were claiming to be new office-bearers of PPP’s taluka and town chapters.

It reminded the partymen that Pir Mujeeb was an old guard at present heading PPP Lawyers Forum. It further said that he was supporting the old and neglected party workers.

It questioned issuance of notices to elected representatives, and argued that how could the party promote those who in the past had changed their loyalties and even contested elections against PPP candidates. “How could the party believe that such people would support it in difficult times?”

On his part, Omar Panhwar maintained that he was one of the oldest party activist but he was now being neglected by certain feudal lords within the party. He said he had the right to raise his voice against this “injustice”.

Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah is scheduled to visit Dadu on Wednesday and expected to play his role in sorting out the issue.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2021