PPP Balochistan Meeting Turns Chaotic as Officials Accuse Ministers of Selling Jobs

QUETTA: A meeting of the Pakistan Peoples Party’s provincial executive committee, divisional and district presidents, general secretaries and other office-bearers descended into chaos after party officials publicly accused provincial ministers of selling government jobs, prompting rival groups to shout “thief, thief” slogans at each other.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of PPP Balochistan President and Senator Sardar Umar Khan Gorgej and Central Executive Committee member and former federal minister Sardar Baz Muhammad Khetran.

During the session, divisional and district office-bearers piled up complaints against the party’s provincial ministers and women MPAs elected on reserved seats. Some officials alleged that PPP provincial ministers were selling government jobs in their respective districts. The accusations triggered heated exchanges, with supporters and opponents of the ministers raising slogans against one another, turning the meeting into a scene resembling a fish market.

Senior party leaders intervened and asked office-bearers and workers to stop chanting slogans against each other and to show patience and restraint.

Some officials also strongly criticised the party’s women legislators elected on reserved seats, saying they had been imposed on workers from unknown quarters and did not give importance to party workers. Speakers said party workers across the province were making sacrifices and even laying down their lives, while ministers and their close aides were enjoying benefits and privileges — a situation they said was unacceptable.

Addressing the meeting, divisional, district and provincial council office-bearers also said the party’s provincial information secretary was inactive. They demanded that he resign immediately if he could not perform his duties and that the post be given to an active party worker.