The question making the rounds in PPP circles is whether the party will also expel Aitzaz Ahsan after Latif Khosa. Insiders suggest that the party leadership has already marginalized the veteran lawyer due to his strong anti-Sharif stance and his outspoken criticism of the PML-N and the Sharif family. This has put Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Asif Zardari in a difficult position. However, the leadership has been reluctant to expel Ahsan due to his high standing among loyal party supporters.
Recently, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expelled Latif Khosa from the PPP’s Lawyers Forum after Khosa called for upholding the constitutional requirement of holding elections within 90 days. In response, Khosa stated that he is a follower of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto and does not require any position or certificate. He also commented that “children have grown up; now it is their right” to expel the party’s older leaders.
Khosa’s expulsion backfired, as a group of dissatisfied PPP leaders announced a roundtable conference on April 15. The conference will include constitutional and legal experts, representatives of civil society, and representatives of political parties, and will examine the factors behind the ongoing confrontation between the judiciary and parliament. Notably, the hosts of the conference include Khosa, Ahsan, and Khawaja Tariq Rahim, all of whom have been the subject of recent debate for expressing opinions on important issues contrary to party policy.
