PPP leaders implore top leadership to replace Murad

Nasir Hussain Shah favourite for the top slot if Bilawal agrees to proposals forwarded by his aunt and estranged party lawmakers

Following the reported differences among various groups of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) within its stronghold in Sindh, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali is likely to be replaced by another MPA from northern Sindh.

Insiders on Saturday claimed that after the alleged failure of Syed Murad Ali Shah to provide relief to the over 1 million people displaced by rains and floods after losing all their houses, crops and livestock across the province, the party leadership is being approached by many groups within the party to change Murad Shah to save the party and displaced people from the further mess in coming weeks and months.

Other credible sources said that “rumours” of the change of guards in Sindh picked up momentum when two influential MPAs from Qambar-Shahdadkot, including Mir Nadir Magsi and Sardar Khan Chandio, during the visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto to devastated parts of the district a few days back, held Murad Shah responsible for failing to make concerted and committed efforts to divert floodwaters towards their natural ways to avoid more damages being caused by gushing waters.

Nadir whose family has immense political influence in Balochistan also went on to claim that he could do it if tasked with responsibilities by the party leadership. Mr Murad Shah who was also present there preferred to remain silent when Magsi and Chandio were briefing both Mr Sharif and Mr Bhutto. The same sources said that smelling the open opposition to Mr Shah by other party MPAs from different districts, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh and other aspirants wasted no time and rushed to Larkana to meet senior leader MPA Faryal Talpur and briefed her about the performance of Mr Shah also appraised her about the serious allegations of the other party lawmakers for his lukewarm attitude towards even his cabinet members, who according to them were helpless before bureaucrats.

A senior party leader and MNA when contacted by this reporter, on the condition of anonymity, the lawmaker claimed that Mr Shah was until recently completely enjoying the patronage and support of party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari but the serious complaints of party leaders and lawmakers from different districts against him and the alleged anger of Ms Talpur might prove costly for him in the wake of the current situation when he even failed to save his own constituency (Jamshro) from floodwaters.

“The party lawmakers, who are supposed to be given relief goods by the high-ups of Sindh government to distribute the same among the affected people of their respective districts and areas, are finding it hard to move safely for growing anger of millions of the people, have not been provided with relief items. Instead, DCs are being given the funds as well other relief items being donated from other countries for disturbing among the people which would further invite the furry of the supporters and voters of the party” added a party leader who wished not be named. The same leader went on to claim that if the party did not make hard decisions under the worsening situation and to provide relief to tens of thousands of people in every devastated and ravaged district situation could take an ugly turn,” he added.

The senior PPP leader also pointed out the statement of Mir Ghulam Qadir Marri, the close associate and aid of Asif Ali Zardari who had demanded the party leadership replace Murad Shah with Ms Faryal Talpur or another PPP leader for the betterment of the province a few months back. Other sources said that Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah might be the favourite for the top slot if Bilawal Bhutto agreed to the proposals by his aunt and estranged party lawmakers.

The same sources added that Murad Ali Shah has been acting like an officer instead of acting like a politician to keep other MPAs satisfied by getting them involved in relief activities to gain some political mileage when the whole world was extending help to the Sindh government to provide relief and for the rehabilitation process.

Hanif Samoon is a senior journalist based at Thar/Badin and contributes reports from different districts of Sindh to Minute Mirror. He has won a number of awards, including the Agahi Award twice for his stories on health and child rights. He tweets @HanifSamoon1 and can be reached through email at [email protected]