LAHORE, Nov 23: Pakistan People's Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday appointed State Minister for Communication Imtiaz Safdar Warraich president of party's Punjab chapter.

Mr Warraich hails from Gujranwala from where he was twice elected MNA in 2002 and 2008 and MPA in 1993. He is also the party president of Gujranwala division.The slot fell vacant following the resignation of Rana Aftab Ahmed in March this year. Samiullah Khan, the party's secretary-general, was holding the additional charge.

Federal Information Minister Qamaruzzaman Kaira, Punjab Finance Minister Tanvir Ashraf Kaira, Punjab Senior Minister Raja Riaz, Chaudhry Manzoor, Aurangzeb Burki and Ghulam Abbas were the potential candidates, but the party co-chairman came up with what many in the party said “a surprise package”.

Though some PPP leaders Dawn spoke to expressed their disappointment over the co-chairman's choice, saying he was not the stuff to deliver in the PML-N stronghold, others were of the view that he was a thorough gentleman and a committed worker. “He will be easily accessible to the workers,” said a party leader.

The scenario in Punjab for the PPP is not promising. The PPP workers are angry with the party leadership and provincial ministers for not redressing their grievances. They want jobs. The leadership on the other hand has a good excuse. They say they are helpless in Punjab as Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has all the powers and even the PML-N ministers do not have any say in administrative affairs.