Bilawal aims to streamline matters of PPP Punjab during his Lahore visit

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is likely to arrive in Lahore this week for 10 days to finalise matters relating to PPP central Punjab body, senior party leaders confirmed to BOL News on Wednesday.

“PPP Chairman Bilawal has already interviewed candidates for the slots of central Punjab president, general secretary and secretary information and will make a final decision regarding that during his stay,” a senior party leader said.

Party insiders said PPP top brass plans to spend more time in Punjab, including Central and South Punjab region, before the next general elections as the party believes the region could be the deciding factor in the polls.

Party sources further said that Bilawal is also expected to meet the disgruntled leaders of the party. “Few leaders from Central and South Punjab are also likely to join PPP during his stay in Lahore,” a party leader added.

In an effort to revive the party in Central Punjab, PPP chairman had made former premier Raja Pervez Ashraf the chief organizer and tasked him to meet the party leaders from across Punjab.

“Party expects the new central Punjab body to reorganise the party at the grassroot level, meet workers personally, address their grievances and motivate them ahead of the next general elections,” sources said.

“The doors of Bilawal House will be open for each and every worker of the party and the PPP Chairman will also meet and listen to them. He will increase his interaction with the jiyalas in Punjab,” a senior party leader said.

“It is about time PPP chairman admits to the mistakes of the past by neglecting Punjab,” party sources added.

Sources further added that Bilawal should also visit small districts of Punjab to motivate workers which is essential for reviving the party in the province.

“If PPP continues to ignore the largest province of the country, like it did in 2013 and 2018, the party will lose its vote bank and it could turn out to be a decisive blow to them,” a party insider said. He admitted that the PPP is almost wiped out from the province and only held seven provincial assembly seats.

In South Punjab, former Chief Minister Dost Muhammad Khosa has already managed to convince his father and former governor Sardar Zulfikar Khan Khosa and his brother Sardar Saif Khan Khosa to join the PPP.

“They might announce their formal joining during Bilawal’s stay in Punjab or before the next general elections,” a party leader from South Punjab disclose.

“Besides, a large number of electables from South Punjab are already in touch with PPP leadership and could announce their decisions to join PPP before the next general elections,” a party leader from South Punjab added. “The disgruntled PTI leader Jahangir Tareen and his like-minded group are also likely to join PPP before the next general elections and are constantly in touch with the top PPP leadership.”

PPP Chairman Bilawal’s strategy for South Punjab is to woo electables who are in PML-N and PTI before the next general elections and former premier Yousaf Raza Gillani and Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood have already been given the task to convince them to make a switch.