- Zardari says his party continues with its political strategy
- Senator Babar says no intention to attend grand dialogue
Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has said that door to striking an understanding with the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) has long been shut.
“We are continuing with our political strategy,” he said while talking to Faisal Saleh Hayat, a former federal minister and senior PPP member who called on him in the federal capital. The two leaders discussed the current political scenario.
On the occasion, Zardari said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif does not have an enemy as he was his enemy. He also said that PPP would contest NA-120 by-election with complete preparation and in full swing.
The PPP co-chairman also summoned the party leaders and workers at the Bilawal House in Lahore on Tuesday (August 22). Among other things, issues pertaining to by-election in NA-120 constituency will be discussed at the meeting.
PPP spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the PPP has no intention to participate in the dialogue of political parties reportedly convened by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
Commenting on media reports that the prime minister has invited political parties including the PPP for a dialogue, he said that the PPP’s position was very clear already that it would not join any dialogue under the prevailing circumstances.
JUST FOR DEMOCRACY: Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Sindh Minister for Home Affairs Anwar Siyal said that the PPP’s support for democracy does not mean that it supports former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
“He is constantly attacking the judiciary and state institutions,” he said, referring to Nawaz’s speeches during his GT Road rally, where he asked his supporters the reason of his expulsion repeatedly.
“He [Nawaz] says he is being treated unfairly. Your party has the federal government as well as the provincial governments of Punjab and Balochistan, yet you are playing the victim. Why don’t you tell us who is victimising you,” he asked.
He recalled that when former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was ousted, then president Asif Ali Zardari had replaced him with Raja Pervez Ashraf instead of challenging the judiciary and the system. He also talked about Karachi’s ongoing law and order operation, saying that both terrorists and traitors would receive the same treatment.
Calling Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s founder Altaf Hussain a traitor, the Sindh minister likened him to convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been sentenced to death by the government. He also complained that the federal government has not contributed in the ongoing Karachi operation as promised.
“It was agreed that the operation budget will be split into half between the centre and the Sindh government, but the federal government has not kept its promise,” he said. However, he vowed that the operation would continue despite lack of the resources.
