MULTAN: The former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Monday ruled out any possibility of contesting the next general election in alliance with Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) ruling coalition.
He also ruled out talks with Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, saying the former prime minister is not a politician.
Speaking to the media in Vehari, the former president said just as the whole nation has to be fixed, the economy and military mindset have to be managed similarly and the judiciary has to be handled. Speaking to the judiciary, he said: ‘They are also from us.
He said the country was not a public limited company and could not end with bankruptcy, adding Japan went bankrupt 10 times and then recovered.
Speaking about taking over the government, Asif Zardari said that it was not that they did not had any idea of what the situation was and in fact they knew about the economic breakdown.
Earlier, Zardari arrived in Multan from Islamabad on a private plane where he was received by local PPP leaders at the airport. He later left Multan airport for Vehari. Yousaf Raza Gillani and Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood were also with him.
Talking to the media, Mr. Asif Ali Zardari said that there were many questions in writing and speaking. He said they knew there were difficulties but they had to stop Imran Khan otherwise he would have sold the country.
Answering a question regarding Foreign Minister and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, he said that Bilawal was young and gets angry quickly. He said they could talk to politicians, but not Imran Khan, who as PTI Chairman was not a politician.
The former President further said that it was the job of the Interior Minister to arrest Imran Khan, the atmosphere of the election would be created after which political decisions would be made. He added that the elections will be held on time.
Zardari said that Bilawal had objections to the census to the extent of Sindh, adding that PPP was not part of the PDM but an ally of the government.
— Bilawal also threatens to quit coalition government —
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had asked the federal government to fulfill its promises otherwise it would be difficult to keep ministries.
Addressing a ceremony in Karachi on Monday last year, he said the Sindh government was providing every possible support to the flood-affectees whose homes and livelihoods were destroyed by the recent flood, mentioning the focus on agriculture as imperative to improve the economy.
He highlighted that Sindh was the only province selling 40 Kg sugarcane at Rs4,000 and when the Pakistan Peoples Party came into power, the export volume of Pakistan was significantly lower but the former president Asif Ali Zardari focused a lot on the agricultural sector to provide relief to the farmers.
PPP chairman said the small farmers would be provided relief through the Benazir Income Support Porgram while mentioning the federal government should fulfill its pledges with the flood victims.
He added that the floods destroyed crops of five million acres and wreaked havoc for the agricultural economy.
