PPP's Stalwart Parts Ways With The Party

In a wholly unpredictable political development on Thursday, a PPP stalwart, Nafis Siddiqui, announced to part ways with the party, saying the leadership was not following the vision of its martyred former chairperson, Benazir Bhutto.
He had served as the party’s central committee member, Sindh general secretary, Foreign Liaison Committee coordinator and MRD member. Former PPP Sindh secretary general Siddiqui, who had joined the Pakistan People’s Party in 1997, made the announcement at a news conference at his residence. Asserting that the party was not following the vision of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, the defecting leader demanded mid-term elections to steer the country out of the morass it was in.
Siddiqui was of the view that fresh mandate of the masses in mid-term polls was essential to control the financial, economic crisis, political uncertainty, corruption, price-hike, unemployment and bad governance. “The PPP government does not have the capacity or capability to evaluate the situation at the national and regional levels. There is no writ of the state. Judgments and orders of the judiciary are not being implemented in letter and spirit,” alleged a beleaguered Siddiqui.
He deplored that the killer(s) of Benazir Bhutto had not been arrested even after four years. “In my view, the PPP has deviated from its stand and principles. At the party’s Sindh Council meeting in April 2008, I resigned as its Sindh general secretary, but remained its central committee member. I am not making any charge-sheet but the facts are before the nation.”
Siddiqui said he was not joining any political group at this stage and would decide his future strategy in consultations with workers, civil society, friends and lawyers after touring to various cities. “I would continue my struggle for democracy, free judiciary, rule of law and rights of the poor. I am committed to the vision of my leader (Benazir Bhutto),” he asserted.
Siddiqui quoted a latest State Bank report of 2011-12 which descried that poor governance as root cause of all economic ills.