KARACHI, March 25: Top leadership of the Pakistan Peoples Party has gone to Dubai to “seek guidance” from their leader, Ms Benazir Bhutto, amid growing disenchantment of the cadre with the party policies in the current domestic and international situation.

The meeting would help the party firm up its stance on the Legal Framework Order and allow it to work out its strategy for the evolving political situation, said PPP sources here on Tuesday.

The presence in Dubai of the members of PPP’s Federal Council and Central Executive Committee had “nothing to do with any perceived understanding” with the regime on the possible quid pro quo for the return home, without being apprehended, of Ms Bhutto, they said.

The meeting follows reports that Defence Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal, who was among those who had led the revolt of the so-called Patriots within the party, had recently met Ms Bhutto in Dubai and had perhaps discussed options for her return. The reports had not been denied by the PPP circles.

Sources said the meeting would perhaps focus on the fate of the turncoat “Patriots” and also those who did not follow the party line in the Senate elections. There is a growing resentment among the PPP cadre over the leadership’s failure to take punitive action against these people.

In a recent meeting of the Sindh Council, the PPP workers had strongly criticized their leaders’ policy on Iraq and their failure to reflect the people’s views on American policies.

A manifestation of this resentment was witnessed on March 23 when some of them, carrying party flags, participated in the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s so-called Million March to express solidarity with the people of Iraq and to condemn the American-led invasion of that country, said the sources.

The PPP leadership had refused to join hands with the MMA over the ongoing crisis because it was not prepared to be identified with the religious parties’ agenda. It had nevertheless expressed its willingness to follow the ARD if it decided to organize protest rallies on the Iraqi question.

Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan’s presence in the MMA’s Million March in Lahore had raised the possibility of the PPP becoming part of the broad-based public outcry over the issue, said the PPP sources. Analysts believe that PPP’s stance vis-a-vis the MMA had restricted the opposition’s potential to confront the government on crucial matters.

The party leadership was coming under increasing pressure over its dismal performance both in the national and provincial assemblies. Questions were being asked as to what were the impediments to the expulsion of Patriots from the party?

The PPP cadre was also asking questions about the raison d’etre for awarding Senate tickets to those who were not party members.

According to party sources, Makhdoom Amin Fahim — who heads the PPP’s proxy in the parliament, the PP Parliamentarians — was also disgruntled after the ruling party had dragged its feet over an understanding to elect his son Jameeluzzaman as Sindh’s chief minister.

The party was also not satisfied with the MMA leadership which it blamed for not keeping their word in the Senate elections. Eyebrows were raised when the MMA chairman was elected with PPP backing while Prof Ghafoor Ahmad was elected from Islamabad with the government’s support.