Zardari, Fazl see saving democracy biggest challenge

PPP co-chairman, JUI-F chief meet in Islamabad

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday that the opposition was not interested in overthrowing the government, but aiming to ‘save democracy’ in the country instead.

Addressing a joint news conference with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad, he said all political parties of the country were being contacted to devise a unanimous strategy to protect the country from the clutches of ‘undemocratic forces’, Express News reported.

“We have always tried to not provide any opportunity to undemocratic forces [to govern the country],” he was quoted as saying, adding that he cannot see the country functioning under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

The PPP supremo said the decision on tabling a no-confidence motion against the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan will be taken at ‘right time’ and after consulting with all ‘friends’. “The aim is not to topple the government, however, the conduct of this government is not democratic to say the least,” he added.



Dismissing reports of striking a deal with the PTI government, Zardari said former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s era was more suitable to do that. He said democratic forces in the country had weakened in the past few years.

Speaking on the occasion, the JUI-F chief said that a multi-party conference over the issue can be called by next week, adding that the opposition parties will carve out a joint strategy to decide on the future course of action. Date of the huddle will be announced tomorrow, he added.

Rehman said the opposition parties were unanimous on ‘manipulated mandate’ of the government and therefore believe that it did not have the right to rule. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Raja Zafarul Haq of PML-N have already been approached on the matter, he added.

Earlier, the chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam had advised Zardari to let bygones be bygones and meet Sharif considering importance of the current situation. He met the PPP co-chairman at his residence in the federal capital.

Zardari was accompanied by former premier Raja Pervez Ashraf and Chaudhry Manzoor during the meeting.