Drama of Succession - Pakistan People’s Party

Nothing goes in fatherland which in one way or another does not make us drop our jaws. Some time with wonder, rarely with joy and most of the time with confusion and misery. The mediocrity that rule us gives us on daily basis episodes of stupidity, humour and other wonderful entertaining material which in other countries people cannot watch on one single channel. At least we are blessed to see everything on any one news channel saving us the trouble of surfing various channels of multiple themes of comedy, drama and reality show; of course, excepting PTV, although it has its own unique version of entertainment.

Though the crowning Marlin Brando of our political scene is our Ex. Military Chief, Current President of the country, but our own politicians are also fully capable of producing the show and stealing the attention of people away from Brando. Given a chance, they are always as reliable as any great director/producer of Hollywood with success rate as good as theirs.

BB died, and died for what she believed in and set an inspirational example of courage for anyone who is ready to be inspired. But the way, events took shape after her death over the party leadership under the superb directorship of her husband can put any Hollywood plot to shame. On the claim of a will the leadership was first assumed by himself then passed on to his son. Definitely, ordinary people in fatherland followed and accepted as most of the time ordinaries of any country are more loyal to the royal blood than the royals themselves. Will was not shared with the public till now, and was proclaimed as the private property of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is preparing himself for the arduous task of leading us in the times to come. Now, suddenly it has dawned upon PPP’s leaders that it should not only be made public but also should be made part of historical archive; though I fail to remember where such archive is maintained in fatherland.

When at last it was made public on 5th February, 2008, I was damn confused. I somehow expected it to be a legal document properly witnessed by someone unrelated to the whole affair as should be the case. Either I overestimated BB’s meticulousness or am expecting too much from her, I don’t know; but indeed it is an odd way of communicating with the fellow leaders of the party. Further, none of the party leaders except her husband knew about the will before her death makes it further intriguing.

Coming to the contents of the will, again one gets confused. Nothing in this document says that it is a will. It is titled “Pakistan People’s Party”, and starts with praising party officials and members, though it has been claimed all along that this document is the property of her son. Then in next paragraph, it shows BB’s concern about future of Pakistan. Then comes the paragraph which gives Asif Ali Zardari the party leadership, and is reproduced below:

“I would like my husband Asif Ali Zardari to lead you in this interim period until you and he decide what is best. I say this because he is a man of courage and honour. He spent 11 ½ years in prison without bending despite torture. He has the political stature to keep the party united.”

It is apparent from above that by this interim period, she could have meant anything. It could have been meant for a situation where she was imprisoned and made incommunicado by the government using the corruption cases against her, which are still open. Further, nowhere she has given the authority to Asif Ali Zardari to become head of the party for indefinite period. It was only for an interim period and even during this interim period he was bound to act along with the party leaders for the best of the party. Again, nowhere, at least I can infer the scenario from this so called will, where BB could have written this with her permanent absence from the scene in her mind in case of death.

Indeed the appointment of the Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, after making due change in his name has been the master stroke by the director of this whole drama. Hit the iron when it is hot, as say the sages. So did he as everything was decided within a day or two after BB’s burial when emotions of our always emotional nation were at its peak and raising any question by any party leader meant his or her political death. I can never believe that the by interim period, she meant such a short period even if this so called will was meant to be the guideline for the party in case of her death.

Now, when I see the election ads of Pakistan People’s Party laden with BB’s death scenes to stir us ordinaries to vote for them, I mourn. Yes I mourn the ultimate death of a political party that was found by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, but which the establishment’s cunning with complacency of its feudal elements within and the incompetency of Bhutto’s progeny has killed along with killing itself.