Daily Times

In a bid to dispel the perception that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has been losing popularity among the masses, its co-Chairman Asif Zardari has announced the launch of an election campaign for the forthcoming local and 2018 general elections with renewed vigour. Addressing a public meeting at Kakri ground in Lyari, he pledged to hold such rallies countrywide. He rejected the common belief that the popularity of the PPP has been touching the lowest ebb. He claimed that his party was still popular among the masses and it could not be sidelined. Even if we agree with Asif’s opinion, the present poor ranking of the PPP compared to other parties has become questionable. Why is this so? What are the reasons for the failure of the PPP in recent elections? First of all, the top leadership of the PPP has alienated itself from the masses. A link has been broken between the leadership of the PPP and the general public since Asif Zardari took over the party after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. In the past, the PPP enjoyed close ties with the public but now this relationship has gone sour. It is an undeniable fact that the PPP came into being as a socialist movement supported by the common man. Second, the PPP’s inability to take credible local leadership into its fold caused it embarrassment in the previous elections and lately in the Cantonment Board polls. The country is going to have the local body elections during this year and the general elections after two and a half years, but the PPP is still struggling with finding strong local leadership. Capable leadership at the grassroots level is necessary for every party to win the people’s trust. The absence of a strong local leadership structure can further erode the PPP’s status in politics. Third, the PPP has failed to evolve a policy framework that could help it win the masses’ support. The PPP has stopped propagating its famous slogan: Roti, Kapra aur Makan (bread, clothing and shelter) that used to be the party’s manifesto. Although it has tried to benefit the masses through its liberal policies, yet this has proved ineffective so far.

Unless the PPP addresses these issues, it cannot regain its lost glory. The present leadership of the party must introduce policies that are aimed at the masses’ welfare through strong representation at the grassroots level. The PPP needs to revive its past practice of remaining in contact with the public and adopt a clear agenda that focuses on the country and its citizens’ well being. It should prepare itself for the next local body and general elections with better policies and organizational structure if it is to have any hope of coming to power again. *