‘Zardari was made to suffer for offences he never committed’

Pakistan Peoples Party senior leader Farhatullah Babar on Monday said President Asif Ali Zardari was made to suffer for offences he never committed, and steered the country through multiple crises during a tumultuous time in the country’s history.

Babar was speaking at the launch of his new book ‘The Zardari Presidency’ at the Karachi Press Club. The event drew political workers, journalists and civil society members.

He began his address by thanking the press club for hosting the event. “This place holds great historical value; the late Benazir Bhutto visited this very club many times. I had the privilege of writing speeches for Benazir and serving as her spokesperson, and later, for President Asif Ali Zardari.”

He clarified that the book is not about corruption allegations or popular slogans like ‘Aik Zardari Sub Pay Bhaari’ (One Zardari outweighs them all). “This book is not about bizarre corruption or sensationalism. It’s about what actually transpired during Zardari’s presidency, the events, the context, the institutional dynamics.”

The opening chapter, he said, focuses on Zardari’s personality and political evolution. “People thought Zardari became president by accident. I shared that view at one point. I too became his accidental spokesperson,” he said, adding that Zardari himself once joked, “Farhat, even you didn’t consider me a leader.”

Babar said Zardari’s presidency coincided with some of the most turbulent years in recent Pakistani history. “The Osama bin Laden operation, the Memogate scandal, Zardari’s health issues, the Raymond Davis incident, the restoration of chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, and even Musharraf’s resignation — all of these events are documented in the book with proper context.”

Recalling the Raymond Davis case, he said the US ambassador at the time was visibly distressed. Zardari asked why he was so worried, and told him, “Stay calm.” The media were saying Davis was a spy who had committed murder.

Babar said that the night of March 15, 2009, when the decision was made to restore Chaudhry was among the most difficult. “Rumours of a military takeover were in the air. Zardari called 23 people to consult, but only 12 showed up,” he said, adding that everyone advised him to restore Chaudhry. “Zardari initially refused, but he had to restore him.”

He also noted how the Memogate scandal and rumours around Zardari’s health were used to destabilise the civilian government. He also recalled how Zardari offered India a no-first-use nuclear policy. “It backfired, and even as the spokesperson, there were times I was unaware of his statements, and couldn’t even issue clarifications.”

He reflected on how Zardari managed to push out Musharraf from the presidency, and the stages that led to his resignation, which is another episode covered in the book. He admitted that Zardari is no saint. “Zardari is neither an angel nor a devil; he is a human being, and humans make mistakes,” he said, adding that Zardari paid a hefty price for uncommitted offences.

He also commented on the timing of the book launch: “I delayed releasing this book because had I done it earlier, my party would have demanded the manuscript, and I wouldn’t have been able to say no.”

He also shared about a moment with Nawaz Sharif. He said Sharif once asked Zardari not to spare Musharraf, and Zardari remained silent. When Sharif repeated this, Zardari simply said, “Mian sahib, you are the lion; you take care of this.”

Publisher Ameena Saiyid called ‘The Zardari Presidency’ a vital addition to Pakistan’s political history. “This is not just a memoir; it’s an insider’s account of power, pressure and governance during one of Pakistan’s most turbulent periods. Farhatullah Babar has done a great service by documenting these events with clarity, detail and courage.”