Zardari says PTI has no existence in Sindh, Balochistan

ISLAMABAD: Former president PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Friday claimed that the PML-N never had a public mandate and it was always given one.

To a question about the impression that the PTI is overtaking the PPP in Punjab, Zardari claimed that the PTI is only gaining strength in central Punjab and they had no existence in Sindh and Balochistan and soon they will be out of KP.

Talking to private news channels, Asif Zardari maintained that the former PM wants to make Greater Punjab (a term used for the proposed merger of Indian and Pakistani Punjabs) to further his business interests across Pakistani and Indian part of the province.

When asked if he is talking about an actual “merger of the two Punjabs”, he claimed that he is talking about a business zone between the two Punjabs as Indian politician Lalu Prasad once told an American president that “we can do business with Nawaz”.

“I believe in it, when you make your forces weak, when you don’t keep a foreign minister, when you don’t hire someone to defend your interests in Washington, now who is benefiting from it? India,” said Zardari.

He said that Nawaz, despite having good terms with the Indian PM Modi, never spoke a word over the killing of innocent Kashmiris. When asked if he sees Nawaz Sharif’s role in upcoming general elections, he maintained that “Nawaz Sharif is still PM, the PM himself says he (Nawaz) is PM”. Zardari added that it is yet to be seen if Nawaz contests the 2018 polls or not but there is no denying of his political role.

About the Panama verdict and Nawaz Sharif’s eventual disqualification, the PPP co-chairman said that he totally agrees with what the judges said and he knows why was Nawaz Sharif disqualified. “I know, yes, he deserved this fate, I totally endorse the court’s verdict,” said Zardari when asked about the question Nawaz asked on his way back to Lahore “Mujhay Kyun Nikala”.

“The damage Nawaz Sharif inflicted to Pakistan will be written in history,” Zardari stated. He said the PPP never got a smooth path to victory. “Until we are alive, we will fight and work to further strengthen democracy,” he said.

The former President said he is hopeful that Nawaz Sharif won’t get away with an NRO. “The PPP leadership would decide whether they should support the PML-N over the amendments in Article 62 and 63,” he said.

When asked what justice people will get when the late Benazir Bhutto could not get justice, he said the government has arrested some suspects who conspired in Haqqania seminary but “You and I both understand where their roots and strings go”. He, however, maintained that the history has served justice in this case as her blood has nurtured the fruit of democracy and will continue to do so. About the future of the PPP, he said that it is in the hands of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Aseefa Bhutto Zardari.