Zardari urges Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan
Islamabad: Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday said that be it long march or no-confidence motion against the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) government, former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif must return to Pakistan.
Speaking during an important meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the PPP co-chairman said that resigning from assemblies would strengthen Prime Minister Imran Khan, adding that his party prefers to fight staying in the parliament.
“This is not the first time that the democratic forces have encountered rigging,” he said and added he had spent 14 years of his life in jail.
Zardari went on to say that they [PPP] had mobilized whole country when late former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto returned to the country following her exile in 1986 and 2007.
He said that we have to plan the long march in the same way as we did on the arrival of Benazir Bhutto in 1986 and 2007. “I am not afraid of anyone, however, the struggle should be for the consolidation of democratic institutions rather than personal obstinacy,” he added.
Asif Zardari further said that we contested Senate elections but former finance minister and PML-N senator Ishaq Dar didn’t show up, adding that how do you [Nawaz Sharif] plan to solve issues of general public.
“You [Nawaz Sharif] did not increase salaries in your tenure, I increased salaries in my tenure,” he added.
The PPP co-chairman said: “If the PML-N supremo is ready for war, be it long march or no-confidence motion against government, he must return to Pakistan, adding that I am ready for war but perhaps my domicile is different.”
“You [Nawaz Sharif] represent Punjab but I gave powers to the Parliament,” he added.
“The PPP and I were punished for passing 18th amendment and National Finance Commission Award (NFC) awards,” he said adding that they were ready for struggle till the last breath but leaving the assemblies is tantamount to strengthening Imran Khan. “Don t make decisions that separate us,” Asif Zardari said.
He said that the benefit of our anarchy will benefit the enemies of democracy, Pakistan People’s Party is a democratic party, we do not fight from the mountains but in the parliament.
The PPP co-chairman further added that the chaos among the joint opposition will benefit the enemies of democracy, adding the Pakistan Peoples’ Party is a democratic party.
Meanwhile, the planned anti-government long march by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has been postponed following disagreement among the leadership.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that the long march scheduled for March 26 has been postponed. The surprise announcement came following an important meeting of the PDM held in Islamabad. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Moulana Fazlur Rehman, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and other leaders attended the meeting.
According to the inside story of the meeting, it would become difficult to run anti-government movement if the political animosity between the two major parties persists.
Sources said that the PPP once again sought time to hold consultation with the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC).
Asif Ali Zardari said that the position he presented in today’s meeting of the PDM was according to the decisions made by the PPP’s central executive committee. Sources further said that PPP leadership was of the view that consultation with the party was necessary on the issue of resignations is necessary.
During the meeting, JUI-F, PML-N and other parties took a stand that the long march would be useless without resignations. The government cannot be put under pressure, until they resigned from the assemblies.
