ISLAMABAD: Former president and co-chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari claimed that Nawaz Sharif backtracked after encouraging him to give 'brick for brick' statements against army and establishment.
“ We thought Nawaz was innocent but he was found more cunning and opportunist", after encouraging me to give brick for a brick statement against army and establishment and on the matter of holding former president Pervez Musharraf accountable he backtracked.
"Now Nawaz Sharif will suffer PPP will not shake hands with him at any cost”, he said this while telling the reasons on intense relations with Nawaz Sharif to PPP senior leaders in a meeting held here Monday.
When announcement about holding Pervez Musharraf accountable was made at that time Nawaz Sharif backed out. He set pre-conditions for supporting us in this matter.
Asif Ali Zardari stated Nawaz Sharif assured us in a message through Fawad Hassan Fawad that Musharraf would not be allowed to go. I believed it and gave the statement that “ billa” would not be let go but Nawaz sent Musharraf abroad. We came to know later that Nawaz had struck deal for sending Musharraf abroad before giving us assurance..
Contrary to it we supported him when high treason case was framed against Musharraf. “We though Nawaz Sharif is innocent but he was found opportunist, he remarked.
NAB took action in Sindh on the special instructions of Nawaz Sharif. We backed Nawaz Sharif for the sake of civilian supremacy he further added.
We wanted to establish social ties with him beyond politics but he took advantage of our good intent and inflicted harm on us on every occasion. We kept on doing politics but he kept on doing business, Zardari underlined.
“The day I gave the statement of brick for the brick reply, Fawad Hassan Fawad came with a message from Nawaz Sharif to Zardari House a night before saying that Nawaz Sharif has stated that we together will confront establishment.
But Nawaz Sharif left us when the time came to act, he added. He shook hands with General Pervaiz Musharraf (retd) and did not even bother to meet me, Zardari further stated.