PPP to form next govt in KP: Zardari

PESHAWAR: Former president Asif Ali Zardari said that after winning the upcoming general election, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) would form government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with its own chief minister.

This he said while kicking off his two-day visit to Peshawar on Sunday. Soon after his arrival in the city, he talked to the media at the residence of the provincial president of the party Humayun Khan.

The former president was confident that the PPP would win the next general election in the Centre and in Khyber Pakhtun-khwa and other provinces.

Scores of councillors and members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced joining PPP on the occasion. Welcoming the new entrants into the party, he said, "Those who join PPP become gold and those who quit it lose their value." Zardari said after winning the election, his party's government would complete developmental work, pointing out that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was rich in natural resources and these needed exploring.

He recalled that he didn't interfere in the affairs of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in the past because his party was coalition partner of the Awami National party (ANP) but this time he would look into the matters concerning the province. 

The former president criticised Nawaz Sharif, claiming that he didn't know politics. He said his party would bring the country out of the crisis and put it on the right track.

Zardari visited the residence of late PTI MNA Gulzar Khan to offer his condolences to his son, Asad Gulzar, who announced joining PPP. He also held meeting with Arbab Usman, son of late ANP leader Arbab Ayub Jan, who also announced joining PPP.

Arbab Usman later attended a reception hosted by former PTI leader Ziaullah Afridi in his honour. Zardari also visited the residence of former federal minister Arbab Alamgir Khan and Asma Alamgir to attend the wedding ceremony of their son.

Zardari was scheduled to speak at an event later today. Bureau report adds: Zardari said PPP was struggling for sustainability of the democratic process in the country by risking its own politics.

He said that they have fielded Aseefa Bhutto in politics. Zardari said that PPP has rendered great sacrifices for democracy in the country. "We have given our blood for democracy.

Our party founders, leaders and countless party workers have sacrificed their lives for the country. Had so many people of other parties been killed, they would have quit politics," he contended.

About the by-poll on NA-120 Lahore held, he said unprecedented development work was done in the constituency to influence the outcome of the polls. "We would felicitate whoever wins the election," he remarked.

Zardari, who is co-chairperson of PPP, said that the doors of the party were open for Aftab Sherpao. He came down hard on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, saying that 200,000 teachers were being made jobless in the province.

He said that the claim of PTI to have grown a billion trees is ridiculous as he could see trees nowhere in the province. The PPP president also spoke about the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and said that after coming into power they would fulfill the dream of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto about Fata. He said that maximum facilities were extended to Fata during the PPP rule. He said that Fata has suffered huge losses during the last few decades. "The world is yet to know about the damages suffered by the tribal areas and its people," he added.