Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has said that there is no threat to democracy and that he does not feel the need to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Zardari, who arrived in Dubai from London on Saturday night, said that he is very happy that Maryam Nawaz has been made successor of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, adding that this decision is in line with the thinking of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, who had always supported giving full role to women in the society.
While referring to appointments of women as speaker, foreign minister and ambassadors during the PPP tenure, the former president said that the PPP granted important positions to women during its government.
Zardari said that former Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsood had demanded extortion money from him, and he refused, adding that Mehsood then told him that he would regret his decision. He said that businessmen, transporters and politicians pay extortion money to the Taliban but the PPP has never succumbed to pressures from terrorists.
In response to a question, Asif Ali Zardari said that Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif’s manifesto was snatched by non state actors and the likes of Hameed Gul and General Durrani.
The former president said that during PPP regime, relations with the United States had improved but Nawaz Sharif’s policies put them in the reverse gear. I have asked Nawaz Sharif many times why he is not appointing a full-fledged foreign minister. The presence of a foreign minister is very important for interaction with foreign countries, he said.
Zardari said that before the Rangers moved in Karachi, there were large numbers of no-go areas in the city, adding that the situation has improved to some extent due to consistent efforts by the Rangers.
Zardari said that people who launched a movement against former dictator Pervaiz Musharraf in the past are now demanding more power for the military.
What he said of Gen Hamid Gul and Durrani is continuation of his spat against the establishment before he went into self exile. Relations with US were not that good during his tenure when he had asked PPP ambassador Haqqani to write a memo to Admiral Mullen to provide him protection against the Establishment. He is praising those who delegate heredity ( gaddi nashini) to Benazir and Mariyam Nawaz to his own daughter Asifa Zardari. Link the link. Actually, he had asked Baitullah Masood his share of 10% which he had refused.
Wrote comments yesterday – deleted and this again would , I guess.
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