Panamagate scandal: Nawaz, Zardari expected to meet soon

Analysts believe PPP does not want to give govt a tough time

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari are expected to soon hold a meeting to discuss political matters in the country.

“It was decided during a telephonic conversation between the two leaders when Zardari wished the premier on his birthday last month,” sources in the Zardari House told The Express Tribune.



Sources also revealed that during the telephonic call the two leaders discussed the political situation of the country and stressed the need for holding dialogue to further strengthen the democratic system. “Prime minister invited Zardari to meet him whenever he visits Islamabad the next time,” the sources said.

The sources maintained that in the given circumstances when the PML-N government was facing tough opposition from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) in the Panamagate scandal, the telephonic contact of the top leaders of PML-N and PPP is a significant development.



The political pundits are of the view that Zardari’s delay in announcing the launch of a movement against the government confirms that PPP is only planning to confine their protest to Parliament and will not give the government tough time like PTI.

In the given political situation, the political pundits are of the view that PPP cannot afford to go all out against the government in Panama Papers case. “The main reason is that the PML-N also has evidences that could lead to opening of cases against the PPP,” one political analyst said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2017.