LAHORE - If the top leadership of Pakistan Peoples Party really means what it says, it’s going to dump the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N and its recently deposed prime minister - Nawaz Sharif.

This is the conclusion drawn from the talk of Asif Zardari and his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who spoke to the media here at Bilawal House, in Bahria Town.

“If Parliament and democracy are in danger, the PPP will act as a political entity and will not join hands with any other political party,” said PPP (Parliamentarian) President Asif Ali Zardari, in view of Nawaz’s recent statement that his party would collaborate with others to establish civilian supremacy.

“Nawaz Sharif now talks of civilian supremacy but he never believed in it and often acted against it... Had he remained committed to democratic norms, he did not have to face the situation he is facing today,” he said in a blunt censure to the ousted prime minister.

“If I am ousted from the power, the PPP would remain intact as a political party. Two of our prime ministers were sent home packing, yet PPP regime completed its tenure,” Zardari said, implying that Nawaz was taking his disqualification too personally.

Replying to oft-repeated question if there was any room for reconciliation with PML-N and its leader, both Zardari and his son Bilawal retorted saying “there is a long list of betrayals” by Sharif. “During his recent tenure, Nawaz Sharif did not reach us to resolve the issues like provincial coordination and the rights of the provinces,” they complained.

“We thought Nawaz would learn from his past mistakes so we could work together. But the reality is that he has not, and he never would learn from his own wrongdoings,” Zardari said. “I had said it about a year ago that Mian Nawaz Sharif is his own worst enemy.”

He said the PPP completed its tenure by handling the domestic issues with understanding and taking all stakeholders along.

Citing an example, the former president said he would discuss national security issues with the then army chief, Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kiani, since he believed the military establishment was an important stakeholder.

Zardari said when PPP Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was removed by the Supreme Court, the PML-N remained silent and “today Mian Sahib says that it was a big wrong”.

He said Mian Sahib should be grateful to him because if he had wished so, anything could have happened to the PML-N. He said had he extended one smile [of approval] to Gen Musharraf [after 1999 coup], his party would have been in power for a full five-year tenure.

When asked what he would advise to Nawaz Sharif in the current situation, the PPP leader said: “I would advise him the same that I would advise myself in such situation [that one should be a true democrat all the time]”.

Zardari said there was no hidden hand behind Nawaz’s ouster because an open trial was held and its proceedings were made public. “Till the last moment, the judge was asking him: ‘bring some proof of your innocence’. I am shocked why is Nawaz asking that what was his fault.”

He said Nawaz reached Lahore heading a rally and repeatedly saying that he would not accept dictation and would fight. “If this is how he wished to handle the situation, he is most welcome to take up the fight.”

Asked if JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman would initiate a process of reconciliation between him and Nawaz Sharif, Zardari said he had once done that when he came to me in London.

Bilawal at this stage said that he did not know who was behind Nawaz Sharif’s ouster. The PPP chairman said now Nawaz League was talking of amending Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution. “Even if this amendment is brought about, Nawaz would not be benefitted by it,” he argued.

The PPP chairman said their challenge was to regain the lost political space for their party. “We believe in issues based politics. My party has to stage a comeback and we will undo the perception that PPP is reduced to Sindh province.”

Commenting on the current situation and the forthcoming general elections, Bilawal agreed with a questioner that the result of the 2018 general elections would be a hung parliament - with all political parties getting some share but none of them gaining a sweeping majority.

Zardari did not agree with a questioner that he was ‘late’ in Punjab. He said that to re-activate his party across the country in general and in Punjab in particular and for winning the next general elections they would follow the same strategy as the PPP had been following for the past 40 years.

Commenting on Nawaz Sharif’s idea of holding a grand national dialogues, Zardari asked, “Did he meant a dialogue with the Establishment?”

Asif Zardari said he was not a warmonger and always believed that there is space for negotiation to resolve all international issues. He said China-India border was hot and the tension could escalate any time. This kind of a situation would definitely have an impact on Pakistan too for its being an important state in the region.

He said developments in India and Afghanistan would have lasting impact on Pakistan and it was worrying to know that Pakistan has been isolated on these vital regional issues.

The PPP leader said the United States was sending more troops to Afghanistan and extending its stay in the region. The US would need passage through Pakistan and may need elements like Taliban to secure supply routes.

He said those killers of Benazir Bhutto that PPP government arrested were facing trial and soon would be convicted.

 

 

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Salim Bokhari