Zardari’s cooperation offer surprises PML-N

PPP leader says co-chairman’s words misinterpreted

LAHORE: Just a week ago it appeared as if the opposition was getting closer to forming a joint front against the government. However, the recent speech of Pakistan Peoples Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, in which he offered to work with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, has changed the situation.

Some senior leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the largest opposition party in terms of seats in the National Assembly, have claimed that this is a classic Zardari tactic to run with the hare and hunt with the hound.

“What kind of a leader is Zardari who on one day talks about bringing a resolution against the government and calls its policies anti-people and offers it an olive branch the following day. The PPP should make up its mind where it stands exactly, and then it should stick to its decision,” said a PML-N leader on condition of anonymity.

Senior party leader Ahsan Iqbal said the PPP before making the PTI government the offer to work together did not take the PML-N into confidence.

“PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has also talked about working jointly on a charter of economy but that cannot be taken as an offer to support the government,” he added.



However, he said the PPP is an independent party like the PML-N and is free to make its choices. “Since I don’t know the extent of the proposed offer, I cannot comment on it,” he added.

Another PML-N parliamentarian said the PPP is not a trustworthy party and it would always work for its vested interests rather than the joint opposition’s interest.

“The first problem with the PPP is that it rules in Sindh and so it has to be diplomatic. The second problem is the ‘external pressure’ on the PPP due to which it cannot take any explicit position,” he said.

Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan said the PML-N would again try and unite the opposition when needed. He said the PML-N’s position on the issues had been impervious to circumstances unlike others. “It is a common goal and necessity that combines the opposition,” he said.



However, PPP’s Chaudhry Manzoor said Zardari’s speech was misinterpreted.

“He did not offer to work with the government on national issues on behalf of the PPP. Rather the offer was from the opposition benches and from all parties. Zardari said the political parties have done a lot of mudslinging in the past and now we should get over it and work jointly for the country,” he said.