The prime minister is expected to visit several cities of Sindh in an attempt to woo the people of the province towards the party. The long-anticipated visit has been deferred on various occasions due to the premier’s schedule or rather his priorities towards the region.
The PTI is making all possible efforts to break the PPP’s grip on power but with little success. In the latest move, the prime minister has appointed former Chief Minister Sindh Arbab Ghulam Rahim as his special assistant on Sindh Affairs. Rahim recently joined the PTI and has been tasked to work for the party in the province. The question remains whether he was the right choice and whether he will succeed in the mission.
Rahim is known for his strong rhetoric against the PPP. He earned the ire of PPP activists for his vitriol against Benazir Bhutto which led to him being banished form the Sindh Assembly and spending several years in self-imposed exile. He also has a dismal record as chief minister when he served from 2004 to 2007 during Musharraf’s era. He also failed to organize his own party or others which he joined notably. He joined the GDA too but lost the elections and eventually joined the PTI to gain political prominence.
The PTI has made several attempts to end the PPP’s influence starting with bringing the late Mumtaz Bhutto, Liaquat Jatoi, Nadir Leghari and Haleem Adil Sheikh. However, it failed to bring the necessary change. The people of Sindh also did not consider them to be worthy alternatives to PPP. To make inroads, the PTI will have to revisit its policy lacklustre strategy towards Sindh. It strongly needs to better understand the power dynamics in Sindh and why the PPP is able to retain its power.
By appointing Rahim, the PTI’s strategy to make inroads into Sindh is unlikely to yield results. The party’s allies such as the GDA are also disgruntled. PML-F’s chief Pir Pagara expressed his displeasure over PTI’s attempt to break over their members despite their constant support. How will Rahim be treated within the PTI is another problem. It’s clear that the PTI needs a stronger policy for Sindh rather than the promise of change and lure of development package if it wants to become a political force within the province.
