GUJRAT: The Pagganwala and Kaira groups of the PPP have finally reconciled after almost a decade of opposing each other as Punjab PPP President Qamar Zaman Kaira on Friday visited the Pagganwala House, once known a bastion of the PPP in Gujrat.

Mr Kaira was flanked by Gujrat district president Zia Mohiuddin and secretary general Dr Zahid Zaheer whereas former PPP MNA and federal parliamentary secretary Sameena Pagganwal, her husband Fakhar Mushtaq Pagganwala and other members of the Pagganwala family hosted an Iftar reception.

The party workers from across the district and media persons were also among the participants at the dinner.

Speaking to the participants, Kaira and Sameena vowed to strive for the strengthening the PPP in Gujrat through overcoming their internal differences. They said they were all united for the cause of the party revival in Punjab as well as Gujrat, once considered a strong hold of PPP in the central Punjab.

Later on, talking to the reporters, Mr Kaira said the PTI and Prime Minister Imran Khan were responsible of this mega sugar scandal and they should admit their incompetence and role in failing to protect the rights of the masses while being in the government.

He said the institutional accountability had totally failed in Pakistan as none of the institutions like the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), accountability commission of Saifur Rehman and other such organisations could get any of those charged with corruption convicted and no case initiated by these institutions could reach its logical end.

Kaira said the public accountability had always been successful in Pakistan and it was the most effective way to get rid of the corruption but unfortunately the incumbent PTI government would only rely on propaganda against all those who either oppose or criticise its policies.

“Propaganda is the fascists’ way to govern and there is no difference between the fascist Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan for being fascist rulers of their respective countries.”

The former minister said Asif Ali Zardari was in good health and he had an opportunity to talk with Mr Zardari on telephone for almost 40 minutes. He said the party had been working hard to make its chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari as the next prime minister of Pakistan.

Mr Kaira did not reply to the question whether the former information minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan approached the senior PPP leadership to again join the party and responded by saying no comments.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2020