ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that he helped ex-President Asif Ali Zardari in the hour of need, adding that he was hurt by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader’s recent criticism on Nawaz Sharif.
Talking to Nadeem Malik in an interview, the foreign minister recalled that Zardari had once told his son Bilawal Bhutto to “always remember Khawaja Asif” as he did a lot for their family.
Asif said: “Zardari told his son to always remember Khawaja Asif since he has done a lot for you.”
“He (Zardari) said to Bilawal in a meeting which I was also part of that Khawaja Asif has helped us a lot,” he added.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader also said that at the behest of the former prime minister, he had helped Zardari after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. “Zardari said this to Nawaz Sharif on various occasions. He told Nawaz that the PPP would not accept him as their leader and that majority of the members were gathering around Makhdoom Amin Fahim,” he said.
Asif said that Nawaz laid down his terms for Zardari which included that the PPP government would hold Musharraf accountable and restore the Supreme Court’s judges ousted by the military dictator.
The ex-foreign minister said that Zardari assured Nawaz that both terms would be fulfilled. Asif said that he then supported Zardari so that his position within the PPP would be strengthened.
He said, “Zardari only pursues and acts upon his own interests,” he said. “They say Zardari is a great and loyal friend to have. This is all made up about him. He only cares about himself.”
ON PTM:
Khawaja Asif said that it was time for Pakistan to reflect on its actions and make sure that history does not repeat itself.
“Our borders have been changed before,” he said. “Now there is a new Pashtun front opening up in the country. I cannot comment on the PTM but we must be cautious.”
THREAT OF INTOLERANCE:
He said, “Our own hands are becoming the cause of our destruction,” suggesting that “the biggest threat to Pakistan is intolerance and it will destroy the country.”
Asif said that the US-led War on Terror had fanned terrorism and militancy across Pakistan. He said that the Soviet war during the 1980s was also responsible for terrorism in Pakistan.
He urged politicians to leave aside petty interests and come on the same page for the sake of Pakistan.
“We should all take a time out and sit together to save Pakistan,” he said. “This country is facing grave dangers that we must address.”