Pakistan Views

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday rejected a probe by Scotland Yard into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and reiterated the demand for UN-sponsored commission to investigate the incident.

Addressing a press conference after the joint meeting of the party central executive committee and federal council, Asif Zardari, while condemning postponement of the general elections till Feb 18, said the PPP will fully participate in the rescheduled elections and would not allow the rulers to flee.

He scoffed at the caretaker government as a bunch of immature and amateur politicians, who had no experience in running any government, advising them to resign and be replaced with an experienced caretaker set-up capable of conducting free, fair and transparent elections.

Flanked by Yousuf Raza Gillani, Jahangir Bader, Sherry Rehman, Syed Qaim Ali Shah and other top party leaders, he warned the rulers of severe consequences if they rigged the polls. He announced a six-member committee to decide about inviting an inquiry commission of the UN. The committee includes Sherry Rehman, Senator Latif Khosa, Farooq A Naek, Begum Abida Hussain and others.

He berated the government for not calling in Scotland Yard after the first attack on Benazir Bhutto in Karachi after she returned home from self-exile. He called upon the authorities not to arrest party’s friends and workers as the incidents in the aftermath of assassination of Benazir Bhutto were not part of party’s planned confrontation but instant expression of sentiments of grieved people.

“We don’t want confrontation because late ZA Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto have taught us to love”. The PPP co-chairman said the party has decided to send delegations abroad and tell them and convince them that they should pay heed to what the people say and not to rulers.

Asif Zardari said that the PPP will not join the government-sponsored investigation until our demand is accepted. He said he is contacting the world leaders in this regard. The PPP co-chairman said that at this stage there is no room for any change in the list of party ticket holders.

He told a questioner that we don’t believe in the politics of confrontation and are exercising utmost restraint. He said a delegation of PPP Rawalpindi met him and asked him to start his political activities from there. Asif Zardari said he will visit the Liaquat Bagh soon.

On the occasion, Jahangir Bader read out texts of two resolutions passed in the joint meeting of CEC and federal council, which met here at Bhutto house and decided to hold the ‘Chelum’ of Benazir Bhutto on February 7.