APC was successful, good news soon: Zardari

ISLAMABAD: Former president and President Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari has said though the PPP wanted to remove the government, at the same time did not want to derail the system. “Our position is clear as we want to send this government home but not at the cost of derailing democratic system,” he said while talking to the newsmen at a press talk at the Chamber of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in parliament on Thursday.

Asif Ali Zardari termed the All Parties Conference of the opposition a success and said a comprehensive plan has been devised in the APC. “The future strategy of the APC will bring good news for the people in the coming days,” he said. He said the rulers did not care about the poor of the country. “The currency is flying out of the country and dollar rate is rising high and high,” he said.

He said the APC is beginning and the committee will be formed to chalked out a strategy. He said, “The IMF in our tenure came on our terms not like this when it came on its own terms. You should read the book “confession of the Hit Man” about the IMF and the IMF comes also in our tenure but on our terms and I never met with the IMF but the Secretary Finance or maximum Finance Minister,” he said.

To a question about the change of Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, he said the committee was formed to bring the consensus candidate. Asked what the opposition will achieve with replacing the Senate chairman, he said it will produce political harmony among the opposition and will show its strength. “We have required numbers for this purpose and I don’t think any slip of vote from the opposition,” he added.

When asked that Senate chairman was brought by PPP by him and now he wanted to replace him, Zardari said, “We brought the Senate chairman from Balochistan so that he could play role in removing sense of deprivation in Balochistan but his performance had disappointed us as he was more interested in trips and take along the senators on trips . “The Senate chairman did not do any meaningful work in his tenure,” he said.

When asked who will be the next Senate chairman, he said the proposed steering committee will take decision in this regard. Asked whether he was worried that Sardar Akhtar Mengal again went to the government, he said how he could worry as he came with his vote and Akhtar Mengal with his votes. “Neither he asked me for vote nor I,” he said.

In reply to a question about his decision to withdraw his bail appeals from the courts of law, Asif Ali Zardari said he knew that the pressure on judges as if he was released in any case, they will arrest him in another case. “I know how much they are in pressure so I did not want to put them on difficult situation,” he said.

Asif Ali Zardari said he never in his tenure made any committee or tribunal to probe the fake cases against him as it was a part of the game in the politics. Asked about the rise of the dollar, he said in his view the dollar might go high more. “I have also warned the businessmen if Hussain Lawai at the age of 80 years is facing cases and if they do not speak against it, they will also be targeted. Whatever happens with one business group, it will also be fate of other business groups,” he said.

When asked whether the opposition have numbers to block the passage of budget, Zardari said, “We will ensure our attendance in the National Assembly to oppose the Finance Bill. “Someone was favoring them to ensure having required numbers for the passage of the budget,” he said.

He criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan for not receiving Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, at the Airport. “The prime minister received the heads of other friendly countries and he should also receive Afghan President,” he said.