PPP leader’s contradicting statements
The views ascribed to PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari regarding Gen Raheel Sharif’s retirement on schedule surprised many for these signified a U-turn on the part of the PPP. Zardari was reported to have said that the COAS’ decision to retire on time was ‘despairing’ for people and can affect the country’s war on terror and that it comes at a time when ‘internal and external elements are hatching conspiracies against the motherland’. There being no crucial change in the situation on ground since Zaradri’s earlier statement welcoming ISPR’s announcement on January 25, the shift in instance led some to discover motives behind it.
Every PPP leader who chose to speak on the subject of army chief’s extension when the issue was still undecided had invariably opposed the idea. In October last, Khursheed Shah expressed hope that the COAS would not be given extension. In January this year, Sen Aitzaz Ahsan told the media that while the nation lauded the achievements of the COAS in Operation Zarb-e-Azb, the PPP was not in favour of any extension in his tenure. The underlying theme of the various statements issued by the PPP leaders was that state institutions rather than individuals need to be strengthened. Even PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had earlier welcomed the ISPR statement regarding Gen Sharif not taking extension.
What was surprising is that for a whole day there was no official denial of the statement by the PPP chief or by any major leaders of the party including those appearing in TV shows like party’s Central Information Secretary Qamaruz Zaman Kaira. It was only in a late night tweet to an anchorperson that the Co-chairman expressed ignorance about the statement saying “me or my party never issued any statement”. Interestingly, a resolution was moved on Wednesday in the Punjab Assembly by the PPP calling for granting an extension to the COAS for his outstanding services. Unless the PPP leadership comes out with a clear cut official explanation of its stand, the confusion would remain worst confounded.