Time not opportune for immediate polls: Zardari

Asim Yasin *** Obaid Abrar Khan

ISLAMABAD: Former president and Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) chief Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday that time not opportune for immediate general elections and no-confidence move against government as steps should be taken to move forward.

He said that opposition did not want to topple the government as they wanted to strengthen democracy. Asif Ali Zardari and JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman agreed to convene All Parties Conference (APC) on Oct 31 to formulate joint political strategy to bring all the opposition parties on one page against the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Earlier, former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Yusuf Raza Gilani met during hearing of their respective cases in the Accountability Court. “It has been decided in the Zardari-Fazl meeting to convene APC next week so that all the opposition parties may be able to sit together to formulate a joint strategy against the government, which got a fake mandate through rigged elections,” said JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and former president Asif Ali Zardari after holding the meeting on Monday in which the issues of formation of the grand opposition alliance were discussed threadbare.

As former president Asif Ali Zardari launched a political move against the PTI government on Sunday while addressing a press conference, the PPP decided to contact all the opposition parties and other political parties to get united to explore the possibilities of resolution against PTI government what it was called ‘incompetent government’.

As a first step to make contact with the political parties, Asif Ali Zardari held the meeting with Maulana Fazlur Rehman at the latter’s residence on Monday along with former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and PPP Secretary General Syed Nayyer Hussian Bokhari. Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Asif Ali Zardari said, “Democratic forces are becoming weaker in the country. I had earlier said that I did not see country running in such a way that their approach is not democratic,” he said.

He said the present government could not last long and run the country and now Maulana Fazlur Rehman would contact PML-N to convene APC of the opposition parties. Zardari said the time would tell how much the opposition was strong.

Responding to a question, Asif Ali Zardari said that he did not make any deal and if he wanted to opt for deal, he could do when he was in jail. Asked about the remarks of Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Asif Ali Zardari said he did not like to make any comment on remarks of Fawad Chaudhry.

Asked about the possibilities of bringing no-confidence motion in the National Assembly against the government, Zardari said this possibility would also be put before the opposition parties which would decide on it after the consultation.

Responding another question regarding contacts with the MQM and BNP (Mengal), Zardari did not rule out the option saying that dialogue could be made with the MQM and Sardar Akhtar Mengal.

He said the PPP always worked for the stability of the democracy not government and always made efforts to ensure continuity of the democratic process. “The country could not strengthen under present government,” he said adding that they did not want that the democratic forces be weakened in the country.

When a journalist asked about the by-elections, Zardari replied, “It is just a beginning, wait and see what will come out.” JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that he held the meeting with Nawaz Sharif in Lahore and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif in Islamabad and there was complete understanding that opposition should be on same page to formulate the future political strategy.

In response to a question, Maulana said that bringing the no-confidence motion is a parliamentary tool and the present government has a fake mandate and they do not accept the fake mandate.

Meanwhile, according to sources, during the meeting between Asif Ali Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, it was decided that Maulana Fazlur Rehman will as a mediator between former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari.

Earlier, former premiers Nawaz Sharif and Yusuf Raza Gilani met at Accountability Court, as they appeared for the hearing of NAB references against them.

When the court started hearing of the cases, ex-PM Yusuf Raza Gilani was called on the rostrum first, however the NAB prosecutor was not present in the court at the time.

To this former PM Gilani requested the court, “You can hear Mian Sb’s case first, I will wait.” Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik replied, “Mian Sb’s case will take the whole day.” The court on Monday once again issued notices to NAB on former PM Yusuf Raza Gilani’s petition seeking permanent exemption from appearing before the court.

The Accountability Court has also announced that it will hear the case against Yusuf Raza Gilani after wrapping up the references against Nawaz Sharif. The court adjourned the hearing of reference against Gilani till November 23.

Talking to media outside the court Yusuf Raza Gilani said that several times he had appeared before NAB courts. “Now more former premiers will appear in these courts,” he added. Gilani said that four former PMs are already facing the courts. He predicted that fifth PM will also appear before the courts very soon.

Former PM Gilani said, “I have faced 10 years jail sentence and after that I was acquitted and then I became PM of Pakistan. “Who is answerable to my 10 years I served in prison?” The NAB Rawalpindi filed a reference against former PM Yusuf Raza Gilani, former Ministry of Information Technology secretary Farooq Awan, former Universal Services Fund (USF) chief executive officer Riaz Asher Siddiqui, Midas CEO Inam Akbar, former secretary of the USF Syed Hasan Sheikh and former personal assistant to PRO IT Muhammad Hanif for “misuse of authority in illegal publicity campaign through M/s Midas Pvt Ltd and attempt to cause loss to the national exchequer.”

As per details shared in NAB handout, during the 26th USF board meeting held on December 28, 2011, accused Yusuf Raza Gilani (the then prime minister), being minister of IT and as chairman of the USF board, directed to run a media campaign for highlighting achievements of the USF.

Farooq Awan, the former secretary of the Ministry of Information Technology, misused his authority in running the illegal publicity campaign through M/s Midas Pvt Ltd in violations of rules and attempts to cause loss to the national exchequer.