‘American conspiracy’: Imran lying, opposition talks ran for three years, says Zardari

ISLAMABAD: PPP Co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari has said Imran is lying about the so-called American conspiracy in connivance with the opposition parties.

Speaking to Hamid Mir, the host of Geo News programme Capital Talk, he said the US is trapped in own issues like inflation in the wake of Covid pandemic, adding the Americans think about Pakistan when there is some issue like Afghanistan.

He said, “They (the US) are not interested in either me or Imran Khan. He (Imran Khan) is selling his political line. He lies on every count … exaggerates (to the level) that is impossible to imagine.”

Zardari said he had been in secret talks with the opposition leader, including Shehbaz Sharif, for three years for bringing down the government. He said it was he who nominated and convinced Shehbaz for premiership.

To a question that how he took three years to oust Imran from power, Zardari said first he was locked up, and then Nawaz Sharif was jailed. Later, the PDM was formed but it faced some issues, including personal interest, but eventually the opposition parties gathered for the sake of Pakistan’s interest, he added.

To a question about the elections, Zardari said the ruling parties would take a decision on this issue in consultation with each other. On assigning the foreign ministry to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, he said the PPP central executive committee would have the final word on this matter.

Hamid Mir on the occasion ran the clip of a past interview with Zardari, saying Imran Khan had blocked this interview’s broadcast. In this interview, Zardari had said that those sitting with Imran (allies) do not belong to him. “When they switch over to the other side, what would he (Imran) be able to do alone,” Zardari had said.

When asked that many of Imran’s allies were his (Zardari’s) also, Zardari replied, “Don’t I know that?” Zardari had said in the interview he was confident about bringing about the fall of Imran Khan.

In that interview, Zardari had talked about an “inside news”, revealing that a big scandal was being investigated in the UK. At this, Mir had quipped that the interview was blocked because inside stories like these.

Talking about the scandal, Zardari had revealed a Pakistani businessman had financed him (Imran Khan), adding the financing was in millions of dollars.

The case investigation is being conducted in England from where it would be handed over to the US, Zardari said, adding then the statements of approvers would surface. In the withheld interview, Zardari had talked about locking up Imran Khan in a cell the way the people like him were detained. Zardari had also suggested releasing two lizards in the cell because Imran is scared of the reptile. “Put him in the cell with lizards. This gora (Imran) would be very upset,” Zardari added.