KARACHI - The PPP expressed its dissatisfaction over what it said the federal government’s non-serious attitude regarding taking the political leadership into confidence over the Saudi-Yemen issue.
The party urged the government to convene an in-camera briefing over the issue. The PPP leadership also decided to pursue the prime minister and president for reactivating the murder trial of its founder leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
The decisions were made during a meeting of PPP’s Central Executive Committee which was chaired by PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari at Bilawal House here Wednesday.
According to handout readout by PPP Vice President Sherry Rehman during a press briefing at PPP Media Cell, the Central Executive Committee of the PPP met in Karachi to discuss issues of national importance.
The first item discussed on the agenda was the need to re-visit and re-activate the case with reference to SZAB’s judicial murder. “The party took note of the fact that history will judge us poorly if the incumbent President of Pakistan does not pursue the Presidential Reference filed in the Supreme Court.” It was decided that letters will be dispatched to the President of Pakistan and Prime Minister of Pakistan in pursuit of this objective.
It was noted that Pakistan is in the crosshairs of a difficult decision, with respect to the fires burning in the Middle East. The PPP’s contribution to peace and stability in the Muslim world has always been decisive ever since Shaheed ZAB’s time.
Co-chairman Zardari has already convened a meeting of the opposition parties and others, on the issue. It was observed that the party’s first demand of calling a joint session on the subject has been initiated.
It was however, noted that unfortunately, the parliamentary proceedings so far have still not yielded the level of transparency needed to make an informed decision on the government’s policy.
Given the potential dangers of the situation in the Middle East, the PPP demanded an in-camera session where key policy contours of foreign and national security policy are deliberated after a full briefing by the government, including the options put forward by all operational stakeholders.
Given the critical level of stakes for Pakistan in moving forward while retaining its own priorities of internal stability, returning peace to the region and the Middle East where millions of Pakistani nationals work, the party expects the government to take the opposition leadership into confidence at the highest level, and urges the federal government to take an immediate response on the national level.
It was also decided that party delegations will be dispatched to all the Muslim countries concerned. The party committed to the protection and preservation of the Harmain Sharifain, the peaceful resolution of all contentious issues between the Muslim countries and the territorial integrity of sovereign countries.
The meeting empowered the co-chairman to consult with all stakeholders and take the appropriate decisions.
The meeting also discussed the Local Bodies elections, and it was decided that the party will fully participate in all the exercises in all provinces and the federal area. The meeting observed that PPP co-chair deserves full credit for petitioning the courts to enable party-based elections instead of non-party polls in all the cantonment areas.
The meeting ended with reposing confidence in the leadership of the PPP co-chairman and chairman. The meeting also prayed for the souls of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, and all the martyrs who have given their lives in the struggle for democracy.
Later talking to media along with Qamar Zaman Kaira, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Farhatullah Babar, Latif Khosa, Sherry Rehman said that it was sensitive time not only for the situation in Middle East but also in Pakistan and the leadership of the country should not hide anything from the nation and inform in depth regarding its decisions and commitments with the Saudi Arabia.
“If the government had some sensitive information then it should convene an in-camera all parties’ conference to take all political stakeholders of the country into confidence over the issue,” she said.
Responding to queries over alliance with other political parties in local bodies elections, she said that the district and provincial presidents would recommended the party leadership while the final decision will be taken in the CEC. She further said that issue of the re-organisation of the party was not taken up during this meeting; however, a committee comprising of a mainstream leader and representatives from each province is formed for this process.
She denied any rift between the Bilawal Bhutto and Asif Zardari and said that the chairman would soon return to the country.