PPP activists protest arrest of Asif Zardari in KP

PESHAWAR: The activists of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday staged protests throughout the province against the arrest of party co-chairman and former President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari.

The PPP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa activists on Tuesday burnt tyres and portraits of the chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to protest the arrest of party co-chairman and former President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari.

In the provincial capital, wearing tricolour party caps and waving PPP flags, the emotionally charged activists gathered outside the Peshawar Press Club and chanted slogans criticising the arrest of Asif Zardari who was arrested by NAB in fake bank accounts case. The PPP Peshawar city chapter had organized the protest.

The protesters criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for its ‘anti-people policies and victimisation of the opposition in the name of accountability’.

They said the wrong policies of the ‘selected’ prime minister would push the country towards destruction.

The PPP leaders present on the occasion were former ministers, Syed Zahir Ali Shah, Zulfiqar Afghani, Tahir Abbas, Syed Ayub Shah, Saeed Ahmad Khan Liaquat Shabab, Farzand Wazir, Raham Bacha Sherpao.

The PPP Women Wing Nighat Orakzai, Dr Faiza Rashid, Shazia Tehmas and Sajida Khattak led a group of women activists who chanted slogans against the government and NAB.

The protesters said Asif Zardari was not taken into custody as per law as the arrest was allegedly made on political grounds, saying he was facing political vendetta in the name of accountability.

The protesters described the arrest of Zardari an attempt to suppress the voice of the opposition leaders but vowed to render sacrifice on the call of their leadership.

They said the time has come to resist the anti-democratic decisions of the PTI. The PPP central and provincial leaders had directed divisional and district presidents to hold protest demonstrations at divisional and district level.

The speakers vowed to organize protest movements in the future as well.

PPP parliamentary leader Sher Azam Wazir, provincial general secretary, Faisal Karim Kundi, MPA Ahmad Karim Kundi said that Asif Zardari was never involved in corruption but he was being victimized.

The anti-people forces, they said, had also attempted in the past but failed to prove a single case against him.

They said the PPP, its leaders and workers could not be harassed through such fake cases but they would further organize their ranks to resist the elected government and its anti-people decisions.

SWABI: PPP leaders and workers gathered at their district office and marched to Karnal Sher Khan Chowk here. They were chanting slogans and holding placards inscribed with anti-government slogans.

Addressing the protesting workers, PPP leaders condemned the arrest of Asif Zardari and said that their leaders had rendered tremendous sacrifices for the country and targeting them is tantamount to harming the democratic order in the country.

MARDAN: Hundreds of activists of Pakistan People’s Party staged protest rally outside Mardan Press Club against the arrest of former president Asif Ali Zardari.

Led by former federal minister Khwaja Mohammad Khan Hoti, Senior leader Abdus Samad Khan Toru and others, the protesters chanted slogans against the government.

Addressing the protest rally, Khwaja Hoti condemned the arrest of Asif Ali Zardari, saying it was not accountability but political victimisation.

MINGORA: The PPP activists staged rally here to condemn the arrest of Asif Zardari.

Carrying banners and placards, the protesters gathered outside the Swat Press Club and chanted slogans. “The PPP leaders can’t be bow down through such tactics,” said Sajad Khan Baghi, district president of the People’s Youth Organisation.

KHAR: The PPP activists organised a protest against the arrest of the party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in Bajaur tribal district.

The protesters marched from Bajaur Press Club to Khar Chowk. They were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands. They were also chanting slogans against the PTI-led government.

GHALLANAI: The activists of PPP Mohmand chapter also took out a protest and blocked Peshawar-Bajaur highway for traffic.

Addressing the participants, PPP Mohmand president Dr Farooq Afzal Mohmand, PPP district general secretary Jangrez Khan Mohmand, Fazal Hadi, candidate for PK-104 Malak Israel Khan and others said the arrest of the party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari was aimed at diverting the attention of the masses from the core issues like price-hike and lawlessness.

Rallies were also staged in Chitral, Batkhela, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Nowshera, Shangla and Hazara division.