ISLAMABAD: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the young chairman of Pakistan People’s Party, will for the first time preside over a meeting of the party’s central executive committee (CEC) in Naudero on Sunday (today). The day marks the eighth death anniversary of his mother and former party chairperson Benazir Bhutto.

Earlier Mr Bilawal had attended two or three CEC meetings, but they were presided over by his father Asif Ali Zardari as co-chairman of the party.

The 27-year-old Bilawal formally launched his political career in August. Since then he has been running the party show alone in the absence of his father, who has been living in Dubai since June.

When contacted, PPP Information Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira said that CEC meetings were held on the occasions of birth and death anniversaries of Benazir Bhutto and her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to pay homage to them and recall that they had sacrificed their lives for the cause of democracy.

Differences between the Centre and Sindh government over Rangers powers may come under discussion

He said that no formal agenda was set for such ceremonial meetings. But any participant with the permission of the chairman can raise any issue and there can be a discussion on it.

Besides chairing the CEC meeting, Mr Bilawal will address a public meeting after visiting the grave of his mother in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh.

Sources in PPP told Dawn that taking advantage of the presence of the top party leadership under one roof, the party might discuss the prevailing political situation in the country, particularly the tug of war between the Sindh government and the Centre over extension of powers granted to Rangers in Karachi.

They said PPP leaders were also expected to discuss the party’s reorganisation in the backdrop of its dismal performance in recent by-elections for National and provincial assembly seats, particularly in Punjab, and local government polls.

Another issue which may come under discussion is the appointment of president of PPP-Parliamentarians, the party’s version created in Musharraf era. The office has been lying vacant since the death of Makhdoom Amin Fahim on Nov 21.

According to PPP leaders, Mr Zardari may become the president of PPP-P.

Mr Bilawal is expected to slam the PML-N government in his speech at today’s meeting as PPP has already termed the act of the federal government to extend Rangers’ powers in Sindh “illegal and unconstitutional”.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2015