PHOTO: PPI/FILE
ISLAMABAD: Nawaz Sharif has always embroiled himself in battles against the establishment while he chose to step closer and shake hands with them, former president and Co-Chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday.
I moved to impeach Pervez Musharraf but instead of supporting the move, Nawaz Sharif backed out.
The former president lashed out at the former prime minister, uncovering what he termed Nawaz Sharif’s duplicitous behavior before media persons here.
When Nawaz Sharif filed a sedition case against Musharraf, we supported him. Nawaz, he said, assured that Musharraf would not be allowed to go abroad at any cost.
Won’t even go to paradise with Nawaz, says Zardari
Reminding the media about when he had said that the tomcat (Musharraf) would not be allowed to go abroad, Nawaz Sharif allowed him to go. I came to know that Nawaz had struck a deal with Musharraf much before assuring me in this regard.
Referring to his statement in which he had said there will be a response to every punch, he said that this statement was the result of a ruse by Nawaz Sharif, who reaped all benefits. “Nawaz Sharif tried to use my statement to settle issues with (former COAS) Raheel Sharif,” Zardari said.
Nawaz Sharif, he said, kept sending messages via a close aide, misleading him.
“Nawaz Sharif is more cunning and opportunist and not a simpleton at all,” Zardari said.
“We kept agreeing with him on all matters for the ascendancy of democracy, constitution and civilian rule … We chose politics over everything else while Nawaz Sharif traded us at every opportunity … Every time, we were hoodwinked at each and every step … I even tried to keep social contacts with Nawaz Sharif, but he took undue advantage of my sincerity.”
Musharraf, Zardari were scared to fight terrorism: Nawaz
According to Asif Zardari, NAB and other institutions had moved against Sindh government functionaries at Nawaz’s behest.
Nawaz, he said, was now isolated and should reap what he sowed. Zardari asserted that he would never again come to his rescue.
Online news agency quoted Zardari as saying that Nawaz had misguided him to launch a unified frontal attack against the establishment.
When the PPP took on the establishment, Nawaz used this opportunity to improve his relations with the establishment because he (Nawaz) realised that he had paid a heavy price for coming into conflict with the ruling elite.
He also said that Nawaz Sharif used a close aide, Fawad Chaudhry, to mislead him.
In the first few months after coming into power, Nawaz Sharif maintained good ties, Zardari said. “But soon, Nawaz started playing tricks on us,” Zardari said.
“But Nawaz Sharif is no longer in the good books of the establishment,” Zardari said.
He said that the PPP had decided to stay the course of popular politics. “We do not want to decrease PPP’s stature by unduly criticising any state institution.”
According to a statement issued by Asif Zardari’s personal spokesperson Amir Fida Paracha, Zardari met with no media delegation and neither had any statement been issued by the Bilawal House.
According to the statement, Zardari met with a number of delegations from Sargodha division at Bilawal House in Lahore.
During the meeting, he said that the PPP was fully focusing on taking part in the upcoming general elections.
Stressing the need for full-scale participation in the polls, Zardari urged all PPP activists to prepare themselves in this regard.
Pakistan Peoples Party, he said, believed in people’s power, adding that the PPP always created more job opportunities for the youth and solving public problems was among its priorities.
The incumbent government, Zardari said, had created a plethora of problems for the people, including rampant inflation, unemployment and economic deprivation.
The PPP, he said, would endeavor to create an even playing field for the children of labourers and farmers.
Sajada Nasheen of Toba Tek Singh Pir Khurram Gilani, Sajada Nasheen of Bari Imam Syed Muqadas Kazmi and others also attended the meeting.
In a separate statement, Zardari condemned the suicide blasts in Kabul.
On the occasion of May Day, Zardari said that the PPP would not allow dismissals of workers from any state-run institution.
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