Former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday demanded early general elections, saying the “Zardari-league government” had failed to tackle the common man’s problems. Talking to reporters at Multan airport, he said the current Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lacked a visionary leadership to deal with security and financial matters. Qureshi said he had not been fired from his office rather he quit the ministry himself. He revealed that President Asif Ali Zardari was forcing him to declare diplomatic amnesty for CIA spy Raymond Davis, who had killed three innocent Pakistanis. The dissident PPP leader said he presented his resignation before the president on January 30, 2011, following Zardari’s pressure because it was against the dignity of the nation. He said his decision to quit the ministry was based on principles and that he was accountable only to the nation. The former minister said that it was time to consult the people and that the government should quit for general elections. On a query over his political future, Qureshi said he would announce his plans in Ghotki on November 27. Responding to a question on his likely participation in the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, he asked the media to wait until November 27. He said he had good terms with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and would meet him after his return from the United Arab Emirates, if the PML-N leader invited him
Qureshi joins demand for polls
