Alliance with Imran Khan after elections on the cards: Asif Zardari

PPP stalwart says his party can either be in the treasury or on opposition benches after the general elections

Days after ruling out even "going to paradise with Nawaz Sharif", Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Friday that an alliance with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan is possible after the forthcoming general elections along the lines of an alliance in the recent Senate polls.

"Necessity is the mother of invention, we forged alliance with PTI during Senate elections," Zardari said. "If need be, we can opt for it again after the [general] elections."

Directing criticism at former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, PPP co-chairperson said that Nawaz had caused great harm to democracy.

"Benazir Bhutto and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto embraced martyrdom to strengthen democracy, Nawaz, by playing the role that of a Mughal prince, only weakened the struggle for democracy."



"What could be a bigger disaster than the country having a faltering democracy," Zardari asked and added, "under such circumstances, anything can happen."

He further said that PPP is ready to be in either in the government or in the opposition. "We have been in the government before and aren't as eager to see the prime minister's house as the PTI chief is."

On April 28, the PPP co-chairman ruled out any political alliance with the ruling party, which he added only came to power because he let them form the government.

The PPP leader said Sharif was not ideologically democratic, adding that, “he thinks of himself whereas we care about the country.” He had earlier said that any government formed without the involvement of his party will not be able to sustain itself.