Zardari decides to return to Pakistan: Malik

ISLAMABAD: Mainstream leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Senator Rehman Malik, has said that former president Asif Ali Zardari, after a thorough consultation with the party members, has now decided to return to Pakistan at the earliest.

Talking to The News from London, he said, “I had a detailed meeting with former president Asif Ali Zardari yesterday, and he (Zardari) informed me about his decision to return to Pakistan in the shortest possible time.”

“All the party cadres will be informed about his (Zardari) return in the next couple of days, and the party members will make necessary arrangements in this respect. His return is not a part of any political deal because the PPP always takes decisions independently and in the national interest of the country,” he said.

To a question, he said the senior party leaders were in contact with Asif Ali Zardari, and they also gave their input about his return to Pakistan, adding, “Now the party feels that Asif Ali Zardari should be in Pakistan to play a vital role in ensuring political stability in the country.”

Replying to another question, he said no contacts had been made between the PPP and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-London) in the recent past and, “I cannot say whether any contact will be made between PPP and MQM in the near future.”

He said the PPP would make no compromise on independent and transparent probe into the PanamaLeaks and the federal government had to accept the demand of the joint opposition to constitute a judicial commission in this respect.

Answering a question, he said, “Give and take is part of politics and PPP is ready to listen to the viewpoint of the government but there is no option except to carry out transparent investigation into the PanamaLeaks.”

Rehman Malik said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had its own political strategy, but the PPP believed that street agitation would serve no purpose and all the political parties should sit together and evolve joint policies to resolve the political issues.He said the PPP strongly condemns the human rights violations in Indian-held Kashmir and urges the Indian government to bow down before the demands of the Kashmiri people.