Pakistan Views

PPP co- chairman Asif Ali Zardari has stressed for conservation of water and said that brick-lining of existing watercourses can help conserve water equivalent to five-time capacity of Kalabagh Dam. In an informal chat with journalists at his residence, PPP co-chairman said let’s not talk of Kalabagh Dam only but focus on improvement of present irrigation and water storage infrastructure. Commenting on suggestions for his nomination as premiership candidate, Zardari said,” if I would be in office of prime minister then who would resolve problems of common people and party workers.” He said he wanted to organise the party and public could be served without holding any office, he added. Asif Zardari said Lahore Blasts are conspiracy to sabotage the Murree Declaration that was signed between him and Nawaz Sharif on Sunday. He also apologized with media persons for misbehaviour by security personnel outside Zardari House during coverage of political activities. “PPP is a democratic party and believes in freedom of expression,” he said. Meanwhile, in his address to MNAs elect from Punjab Zardari said the PPP government would revive “five-marla scheme” introduced by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto thirty seven years ago in fulfilment of the party’s manifesto to provide shelter to the masses. He also condemned sudden increase in fertilizer prices and announced to set-up a task force to find ways of importing cheaper fertilizer. “PPP had prepared a plan for building small dams and lining water courses to overcome water shortage instead of controversial big dams on which consensus has not been yet evolved,” he added.

A delegation of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) called on co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party Asif Ali Zardari in Zardari House here on Saturday. The 30-member delegation was led by its President Hameed Haroon. Talking to the delegation, the PPP co-chairman said that the party was committed to free media and would strive for protecting its freedom. The party welcomed a strong and vibrant press to serve as a check, he said. The APNS President highlighted the twin issues of media related laws made post-November 3 emergency that adversely affected its freedoms and of the Wage Board award and presented the Society’s point of view. Asif Zardari said that the party was aware of the problems and issues faced by the media whether print or electronic and that the future PPP government would address all these issues in consultation with the stakeholders. The delegation also offered Fateha for Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. There was also a free exchange of views in the over one-hour meeting. Sharif Farooq, Editor, Daily Jehad, and a member of the APNS also presented his book on the Quaid-e-Azam to Asif Ali Zardari.-PR

Additional District and Sessions Judge Ijaz Hussain Awan on Wednesday accepted an application of co-chairman PPP Asif Ali Zardari seeking exemption from personal appearance in a drug case against him registered in 1998.
Advocate Khurram Latif Khosa appearing on behalf of Zardari told the court that his client being the head of country’s major political party was busy nowadays owing to the formation of upcoming parliament so he could not appear before the court.
The counsel further argued that the drug case against Zardari was a result of political victimization and the former prime minister also admitted that the cases registered against his client were only due to political rivalry.
The court after accepting the exemption application of Asif Ali Zardari and adjourned the hearing till March 27.

Co-Chairman, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Altaf Hussain have agreed to extend unconditional cooperation to one another.
The agreement came about during a telephonic contact between the two leaders on Friday, learned a private news correspondent.
In a talk that continued for 30 minutes, they also congratulated each other on their success in the general elections-2008.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Friday unanimously authorized its Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari to decide about party’s candidate for office of Prime Minister.
PPP’s parliamentary party meeting here on Friday attended by newly elected MNAs, presided by Asif Zardari authorized him to make final decision on candidate for Prime Minister office also in consultation with provincial parliamentary parties.
The participants said it was introductory meeting and the party has yet neither finalized any candidate for post of Prime Minister nor decided for leaders of house in provincial assemblies, as party leadership intends to discuss it with provincial parliamentary parties, said Shah Mahmood Qureshi, PPP Punjab President.
Asif Zardari briefed participants on on-going talks with other parties including PML-N and ANP to form coalition governments in the centre and provinces.
He said PPP is struggling for strengthening democratic institutions and independence of judiciary. “We shall chalk out comprehensive strategy to resolve economic problems, invite business community to cooperate with us for economic uplift,” he added.
Another senior PPP leader, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani said “I am not candidate for post of Prime Minister. We have full consensus on all issues.”
Meanwhile, PPP parliamentary parties of Punjab & NWFP assemblies would meet here on Saturday, while meetings of Sindh & Balochistan assembly members will be held on Sunday at Bilawal House Karachi.

Co-Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party Asif Ali Zardari has issued his schedule of meetings with newly elected national and provincial assemblies members of the party. A statement released from Bilawal House on Thursday Asif Ali Zardari has invited all elected members of national assembly of PPP at Zardari House Islamabad on Feb. 22 at 11:30 am. The party’s provincial assemblies members have been invited at the same venue on Feb. 23-24.

Co-Chairman, Pakistan People’s Party, Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday said it will be up to the next parliament to decide whether to work with President Pervez Musharraf.
Addressing his first press conference following the February 18 elections, Asif Zardari expressed his readiness to join hands with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), saying: “We also had working relations with MQM in the past.”
“I talked in favor of forming a national government prior to elections and today I discussed the same with Dr. Abdul Hai Baloch, Imran Khan, Qazi Hussain Ahmed,” Co-Chairman PPP said adding: “We agreed to form a national government through consensus.”
“We want to form government but it must be one with authority,” he stressed. He said he is not a candidate for the Prime Minister’s job and this will be offered to a senior member of the party.
Regarding the UN investigation into Ms Benazir Bhutto’s slaying, Asif Zardari said the UN had answered to the party’s request. “The UN has said that it is ready to initiate the request probe if the application in this regard comes from the government.”
He said the request will be sent to UN after forming the government.
“We will change the system altogether,” PPP Co-Chairman expressed his commitment. He said the party will meet with Pakistan Muslim League-N Chief Nawaz Sharif to discuss matter relating to the formation of the next government.

Pakistan People’s Party chief Asif Zardari on Tuesday hinted at forming a coalition government with opponents of President Pervez Musharraf including former premier Nawaz Sharif, indicating more difficulties ahead for the embattled ruler.
He said his party was not interested in allying itself with those who supported Musharraf for past five years but held back a prompt call for the ex military chief’s resignation.
The widower of former slain premier Benazir Bhutto was speaking to a crowded news conference flocked by hundreds of local and foreign journalists because of its timing-a day after the parliamentary polls. “We want to make national consensus government here (in center) and in all four provinces with our allies…and not with those who were part of the previous regime,” he said.
The news conference was followed by meeting of a decision-making body of his party, for the first time following Monday’s elections for the national and four provincial assemblies.
Unofficial results emerged so far suggested political parties unfriendly to Musharraf could secure two-thirds majority to join forces for his ouster through a parliamentary rebuke called impeachment. In Lahore earlier in day, Nawaz Sharif, whose faction of Pakistan Muslim League also did well in elections, said the president must resign immediately.
Nawaz, whom Musharraf threw out in a military coup eight years ago, demanded judged he forcefully retired in November last year to prevent a hostile verdict on the legitimacy of his re-election a month earlier must be reinstated.
Zardari, however, said a future parliament must decide whether Musharraf should step down as president and judges including deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry should be back to job.
He dismissed an impression that it was really a difference of opinion between him and Nawaz and said he would meet the former premier on Wednesday to evolve a consensus.
Asif told media he also talked to Nawaz over the phone in the day. “Nawaz is an experienced politician and…we want to work with him,” he said and called a Pushtoon nationalist party of NWFP as a potential future ally too. Awami National Party (AWP), once a largest parliamentary group in the province, regained heavily grounds it lost to a now divided alliance of Islamic parties in 2002 general elections.
The troika-PPP, PML-N, and ANP-is being seen in a position to form governments among themselves in the center and at least three provinces-Punjab, Sindh and NWFP.
It’s not sure how the party would do in Balochistan province where no group is in majority this time like always in the past. Zardari also spoke of heralding a national consensus-both political and social-to help reunite a society in Pakistan now largely divided on ideological and ethnic grounds after eight years of authoritarian military rule.
Musharraf sent out military to country’s north and south-western conservative border regions to crush Islamic and nationalist insurgencies there. The move, however, was seen as resulting into creating divisions in the society, threatening the very integrity of the country.
Zardari said he would now combine political dialogue and force to deal with the terrorism, a menace the United States said could hit the West from Pakistani lawless tribal regions bordering Afghanistan.
“We will also talk to those who are not in the parliament, and have climbed mountains,” he said, referring to Islamic militants in NWFP and liberation fighters in Balochistan where nationalist political groups boycotted polls to protest against Musharraf.The PPP co-chairperson added the future parliament would decide what exactly should be the strategy to deal with insurgencies, a task Musharraf did never think necessary.
“Parliament will decide whether there should be any operation, less operation or more operation,” he added, vowing to strengthen the federation, an imperative obligation of the government many believe Musharraf was ignoring.
Asif said his newly elected legislatures would make parliament more powerful than any individual, hinting at limited future role of Musharraf if he stays. “We do not intend to make dictator strong. We are to make parliament strong,” he remarked.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif has contacted Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the formation of a government. Sharif’s party sources confirmed that their chief phoned Zardari on Tuesday.

The sources said both the leaders discussed the post-election situation and congratulated each other. They were expected to meet in Islamabad on Thursday, sources said, adding that Sharif would also convene meetings of the central executive committee and parliamentary party in the capital the same day to outline his party’s strategy on the new governments. Zardari would also follow suit on Thursday.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari left London on Saturday night for Naudero via Karachi to cast his first ever vote at a Naudero polling station on Monday. According to the spokesman of Zardari House Nawabshah, Bilawal will cast his vote in municipal committee No 29, and has been given the vote number 561.
He said that Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari would cast his vote at Nawabshah.