Proponents of sit-in even ready today to derail govt: Zardari

Says he won’t be buried in New York; will cooperate with Imran when he becomes a mature politician

NEW YORK: Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has said those doing the politics of sit-ins are even ready to derail the government today. 

In an interview, Zardari said he has been invited to join the opposition grand alliance for bringing down the government. He said he will not support the PTI chief Imran Khan until he becomes a mature politician. He said he will not support any step which may damage democracy. 

The former president said the federal government and the prime minister are responsible for lacunae in the present accountability system and arrest of innocent people by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He said the PPP has no relation with Uzair Baloch. However, he said, the PPP fully supports former federal minister Dr Asim and will continue to support him in future.  He said Dr Asim Hussain, who is facing legal action on charges of terrorism and corruption, is so innocent that he is afraid of his own shadow. He said Dr Asim is incapable of corruption let alone facilitating or providing medical help to terrorists.

Zardari clarified that his hard hitting speech at a PPP event last year, which made waves because it was seen as a threat to the establishment, was not against the armed forces. He said he meant to criticise the political opponents in the speech. He said he fully backs the establishment and armed forces personnel as it is the PPP which suffered the most in the war against terror. 

The PPP leader said he will not be buried in New York and he is there for treatment purpose only. He said many people visit foreign countries but no one questions their intentions.  As president, he said he voluntarily surrendered his powers and passed them on to the premier, making the publicly elected representative the chief executive of the country.