PESHAWAR - Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Monday announced to come out with all guns blazing for a comprehensive campaign ahead of the next general elections.

“During the 2013 elections, I did not campaign altogether, but this time, I along with Bilawal Bhutto and Aseefa Bhutto will run a comprehensive election drive across the country. We all will be on the ground,” he said while speaking at a tribal jirga held at the residence of former federal minister for communications Arbab Alamgir Khan. He said the party would be revived at union council level before going for the next general elections.

In the same breath, Zardari said the show of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and PTI chief Imran Khan was over. “The people will rule in the future,” Zardari stated. “

I am seeing from day one that it is an incapable government. Don’t expect anything from the rulers. They have no idea how to govern and solve people’s problems. Whatever we did in the past is in front of everyone,” he said.

Urging the party workers to unite under the PPP flag, Zardari said one should go for a rational approach rather than being emotional. “I admit none of my ministers was the son of a poor man, but I want to tell you that I want to make the son of a farmer a minister,” Zardari affirmed.

“Alone, I am weak. You give me the strength that enables me to take pro-people decisions. There will be the people’s government in the future,” he claimed. He told his party workers: “Don’t think how many seats we will win, just be sure, we will make the next government. We had secured more seats than the opponents when I was in jail,” he recalled.

“Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto and me had done a lot for the welfare of the tribal people. It is because of the PPP that everyone is now engaged in political activities in Fata,” he said.

“As the president, I extended Political Parties Act to Fata. I increased its funds from Rs 3 billion to Rs 19 billion,” he told the jirga which was attended by tribal elders and the party workers from Fata.

“We want Fata’s merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. I don’t want tribesmen to continue to remain slaves under governor and president anymore,” he said. He claimed the PPP would gain strength in the tribal areas.

Announcing a PPP secretariat in Fata, Zardari said he would consult them before distributing the party tickets.

“The PPP wants that the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction should be extended to Fata,” he said. “I must say the fate of the tribal people will never change if it does not change now,” he said, asking the government to implement Fata Reforms Package. Addressing PM Nawaz Sharif, he said: “Take up the issue seriously.” At the same time, he assured the audience that the PPP would make Fata a part of KP if it came to power.

“I am ready to visit Fata and speak to a workers’ convention there,” he said.

He recalled it was the PPP that gave identity to the province after 60 years by changing its name from NWFP to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said the CPEC project had been planned for KP and Balochistan, but it was diverted to Islamabad, which was regrettable.

As the PPP central leadership left the venue, some youth scuffled and ransacked the chairs and the stage.