Benazir to replace party leaders

By Mubasher Bukhari

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir Bhutto has begun meeting with party leaders in Dubai to finalise policy on the Legal Framework Order (LFO), Iraq war and reorganisation of the PPP in Pakistan.

Sources told Daily Times that Ms Bhutto would replace some of the Punjab and NWFP leaders in the final session of the meeting on March 25.

The first, informal session of the meeting was held on Sunday, attended by Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Naheed Khan MNA, Senator Raza Rabbani, Qasim Zia MPA, Rana Aftab MPA, Senator Sajjad Bukhari, Senator Safdar Abbasi and other leaders from the Punjab.

PPP sources said party leaders are divided on the Iraq issue. One group thinks the party should side with Iraq as they believe the US can do nothing for the PPP, and the other group believes a neutral stance would be more appropriate. However, the entire party is unanimous on opposing the LFO.

The meeting will resume today (Monday), when the reorganisation of the NWFP branch of the party is to be discussed. The PPP sources said Ms Bhutto might replace the president and secretary general of the NWFP chapter, because of the party’s poor election performance in the province. The third and final session of the meeting will take place on Tuesday, to be attended by members of the Central Executive Council and Federal Council of the party. The party’s Iraq policy and Punjab reorganisation will be decided. The sources said some of the main office bearers of the Punjab PPPP would be replaced.

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