PPP Co-chairman Asif Zardari’s perception that his busy F/8 abode might lose the attraction of all and sundry after he would nominate the prime minister has proved incorrect as the Zardari House continues to be the nucleus of power.
His residence draws more attention of the PPP federal and provincial ministers, chief ministers and its top leaders, bureaucrats, diplomats and foreign dignitaries than Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani’s sprawling house.
“Even the allotment of additional portfolios to the PPP ministers, which were held by resigning PML-N ministers, was done by the Zardari House,” a senior PPP leader told The News. He said the announcement from the Zardari House preceded the official notification, issued on Gilani’s direction. It is no secret that the names of all PPP nominees, who were inducted into the federal cabinet in the first phase, were given by Zardari. Future inductions would also come from the Zardari House because of its clout and influence, he added.
About the deliberate delay to nominate the premier, Zardari used to say that after he would announce the name, not only the media but others would also simply abandon his residence and he would be robbed of the attraction that he was getting after the Feb 18 general elections.
However, for more than two months since Gilani took over as the country’s premier, the Zardari House has not lost attention, even slightly. Everybody, who wants to have a meaningful discussion on any government affair or problem, prefers to go to this place instead of the Prime Minister House. Foreigners do not lag behind in such an exercise.
Gilani is plainly implementing the orders coming from the Zardari House without showing any reservations whatsoever, whether these relate to postings and transfers of bureaucrats and appointment of ambassadors or other key policy matters. He doesn’t even raise his eyebrows because he knows he owes this coveted position to Zardari.
But there are some senior PPP leaders like Safdar Abbasi, Naheed Khan, Enver Baig and some others, who maintain a clear distance from the Zardari House because they are not favourites or job seekers. They fell from grace when Zardari found out they had been sympathetic towards Makhdoom Amin Fahim (MAF).
They are also not warmly welcomed at this venue. Despite knowing that the power flows from this premises, they are aware of the fact that they are unlikely to get “rehabilitated”. However, those eying cabinet positions or other favours including choice postings are frequent visitors of the Zardari House. Both sets of people aren’t fond of being at the premier’s house.
Zardari has no plan to curtail his cold-shouldering to MAF supporters and others and he doesn’t like to interact with them. He has left to them to decide their future course of action, including their affiliation with the PPP. However, no member of this lot is predisposed to say adieu to the party they have been with for decades.
Four days back, PPP Senator Enver Baig was much embarrassed and crestfallen when his leader, Zardari, despite spotting him at a diplomatic function, did not even care to shake hands with him. On the other hand, Nawaz Sharif, who was accompanying Zardari at the time, warmly greeted the senator. However, Baig did not lose heart and forced Zardari to shake hands with him.
The Zardari House is the focal point of not only the activities of the PPP, diplomats and foreign visitors, but also the venue of all high-level meetings of coalition leaders including Nawaz Sharif, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Khwaja Asif, Asfandyar Wali and Maulana Fazlur Rehman on vital issues. Gilani is informed about the developments that take place at the Zardari House and the decisions it takes later. At times, Zardari has gone to the premier’s house to brief its occupant.
The premier is not known to have contributed in a big way for the resolution of the most ticklish issue of the restoration of the deposed judges or have any dominant voice on this count. Maybe, he is not supposed to meddle in such affairs and difficult jobs like this are to be executed by the PPP chief. The preparation of the constitutional package is also not his cup of tea as Law Minister Farooq H Naek takes directions from Zardari and reports to him accordingly.
In all respects and for all practical purposes, Zardari is running the show of the government and Gilani is just the face of it. All ministers consider themselves accountable to the Zardari House rather than the Prime Minister House. The Kalabagh Dam project was scrapped on the directive of the Zardari House to restore the PPP’s standing that had been considerably damaged because of its coalition with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. To date, Zardari has a firm grip over the government as well as the PPP with his detractors in and out of the party hoping that he would finally damage it comprehensively due to his policies.
The Zardari House is so powerful that if it decides today to show the door to President Pervez Musharraf, the retired general would have no leg to stand. But in this case, it lacks courage, pluck and guts despite taunts, nudging and prodding from the public circles to act decisively.