“We are sympathizers of the PPP. The party has compromised with the establishment and abandoned its workers. It abandoned shaheed Salman Taseer. Where are ‘korray khanay walay’ today?”

Have you heard what urban middle class activists of Fake Civil Society and ‘independent analysts’ are talking about the PPP of today? They are suggesting that this is high time for the party to remove Zardari, further suggesting that what he has done with the party is unforgivable.

But hey, wait a minute.

Let us go in past. Not in 18^th century but the time when Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, after a long and painful struggle took over PPP. The songs were same, tunes were same and those behind the curtains pulling strings were same. The voices were filled with pain and sympathy for PPP, the sympathizers were screaming;

“Benazir Bhutto has sold the blood of Shaheed ZA Bhutto. She has submitted before the establishment. Where are those who went to ‘Shahi Qila’. Korray khany waly workers have been ignored. We are sympathizers of the PPP and want party to act now. Benazir will destroy the party, remove her sooner than later”.

What these so called sympathizers of PPP did with Shaheed ZA Bhutto was nothing different form what they did with Benzair Bhutto and now repeating with President Zardari. All this happens in disguise of sympathy and for the alleged betterment of PPP. One wonders, who really benefits from this campaign against the PPP, which is simultaneously carried by its ‘sympathizers and enemies?

PPP has been boldly fighting the enemies, but the so called sympathizers have caused more damage to party than enemies could.

Let us rationally examine the factual position of these allegations of so-called PPP sympathizers:

1. Did PPP abandon Salman Taseer?

Taseer was a bold and vocal politician. He never felt shame in admitting that he was not a well off person when PPP gave him ticket and made him the opposition leader in Punjab Assembly. Again he got party ticket and lost elections, still not a rich businessman or a feudal. Then he invested time ane effort in honestly building his diversified business. In 2007, his appointment as a governor of Punjab had a silent nod from the party.

He was fully on-board in party policy on issue of amendments in the blasphemy law. However, politics is quite different from the military attack, one step back and two steps forwards is other name of strategy which ensures that political party should not go for a last war.

Shaheed Taseer was well aware of ground realities and knew that right time is important in politics. He never expressed his dis-satisfaction over party policy. As a matter of fact, just a couple of hours before his shahdat, he had been to Presidency.

After his shahadat, the party not only owned him and recognized his courage, services for the party and sincerity with leadership but also gave him the due respect. As a matter of fact, he would always be remembered as a fearless and principled leader. While his son claims that PPP is in their blood and they will stand with party, the (hypocritical) sympathizers of the FCS accuse the party of abandoning Shaheed Taseer.

Figure it out, what is real agenda of the so called sympathizers of the PPP and Shaheed Taseer?

2. Has the party abandoned the workers who sacrificed; has it become a feudal party? What about the popular rhetoric by the FCS: ‘korray khany walay kahan hain’.

A little research reveals that almost half of the parliamentary seats which PPP lost in 2007 elections were contested by old party workers who have been in prisons and sacrificed. If Jahangir Badar loses two seats despite getting the party tickets, there is little to blame the party.

There is a long list of those who were given party tickets despite their weak positions and uncertainty of success. There are two major reasons for their failure to win from their constituencies:

i) The military establishment’s dislike for genuine party workers is obvious, it never wants the PPP jiyalas to be a part of the parliament. In order to block their way, the establishment arranges financial support and influences local groups in favor of their opposing candidate. As a precautionary measure, there is macro-management of polls where their opponents get ‘bonus vote’ from the establishment to ensure their success.

ii) During long periods of the military rule, the PPP workers were subject ot political and business persecution; they were made financially weak and were systematically isolated from their voters through imprisonment, state oppression and political victimizations.

Despite all these tactics, a large number of workers managed to win and are currently a part of the parliament. Just to name a few, Shehla Raza, Deputy Speaker of Sindh does not have her own house. Faisal Raza Abdi, Senetor Chandio and countless others are neither feudal not from the political elite but it is PPP which made them a part of the parliament for their struggle.

If we look around, every major post possible is occupied by one of the old party workers. Just pick any field, be it culture, media, energy or government positions, party workers are accommodated as per their eligibility.

But again, hey, if PPP is such bad towards its workers, the most vocal political class in country, would they stay silent until  sympathizers of the Fake Civil Society (FCS) screamed on their behalf? But the workers are always there to counter propaganda of ‘fake sympathizers’.

Guess whose agenda the fake sympathizers are paddling and who benefits from this sympathy campaign? Certainly, it is not the workers or the PPP itself.

3. PPP is good Zardari is bad. We should bring PPP out of dynasty politics.

But man, you are not even in party. How you plan to do that?

Was not the same objection raised about Shaheed Benazri? Yes, same BB of who you talk very high today and admit that she was one of the greatest leaders of the developing world. Any label and allegation which you did not try on her before her assassination?

It is the party workers who decide whether Zardari is good or bad for the party. He is neither a dictator nor has any power to impose himself on the PPP. This is the party which elected him for the office; he enjoys a unanimous support of party workers and leaders. If he is bad, then those who elected him can never be good either. In that case the PPP itself is bad. Leave it alone and move to your ideal political groups, there are plenty to choose from!

This is party worker who decides weather they want Bilawal Bhutto or an ordinary worker to head the party. But to your disappointment, PPP workers know very well that Bhuttos can give life for their rights. They are not willing to change their minds because of ‘fake sympathizers’ screaming for their rights. In fact, they are the most aware political class in the country, perfectly able to identify the enemy in disguise.

4. Criticism is their right?

No doubt. They have every right to criticize PPP as it is not a party of saints but party of masses who are part of same society and have same weaknesses as the rest of society does. Fair and genuine criticism will help it to refine. But are they FAIR and GENUINE in their criticism?

Pick a single day’s newspapers or TV talk shows. You will see the true picture. While the PPP is the target of propaganda from all sides, here we hardly find a single word against others. Is not PML-N ruling 60% of Pakistan and Nawaz Sharif is a two times former Prime Minister? Is governance in Punjab ideal? What about the MQM ruling the biggest city in country? Do the FCS wallas have courage to criticize it? Anything about Jamat Islami and PTI, who openly support and encourage terrorism? Anything about the Taliban, Sipah-e-Sahaba and their mentors, creators and supporters?

On other side, judges who are openly supporting extremists are immune to criticism. Generals and civil bureaucracy which is nourishing terrorists are not criticized.

On the other hand, each law in the country which can be termed to be close to ensuring human dignity has been introduced by the PPP. However it does not have simple majority to pass any amendments on its own. How much ‘sympathizers’ have supported to build pressure on other parties and actors of the State to support the PPP in its effort to refine laws? Should not their criticism be directed towards other actors and institutions of the State in order to provide support of PPP to amend draconian laws introduced by military dictators?

Unfortunately the FCS will say nothing about corruption in the military and civil bureaucracy, their own class. No one is willing to speak about the hypocrisy of right wing parties. No one is ready to question opposition parties about their stand on controversial laws. In this situation, how fair it is to make the PPP a target of their criticism and permanent subject of one-sided propaganda?

Identifying the Enemy:

Healthy and genuine criticism is a part of politics, and guides political leaders in making right decisions. However, the military establishment’s harted for the PPP is not a secret. It has its proxies in every field of life including English and Urdu media. In the disguise of ‘honest criticism’ the party has been subjected to a ruthless propaganda campaign for decades. The same game continues even today. The military establishment’ sponsored, religious-fascists are open and sworn enemies of PPP for its liberal and secular credentials. However, there is another group which shares the same masters but either pretend to be ‘independent analysts’ or fake ‘sympathizers’, both paddling the same agenda, as of fanatics.

Their goal is to weaken the party and provide support to the pro-establishment forces but their faces are different. If we look into history of the PPP, its support base is not influenced by these proxies of hidden forces.

Dear sympathizers, thanks for standing up for our rights. But no thanks, we are able to make right decisions for ourselves!

Related: To fake sympathizers of the PPP, thanks but no thanks – by Shahid Khan Khakwani

“Real workers of PPP can never support Zardari.” Really? – by Khalid Wasti

Zardari Unpopular Even Amongst PPP Voters?

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