'Khawaja Asif may have spoken against me on someone's direction'

Zardari terms PML-N leader's statement against him an attempt to divide Opposition

ISLAMABAD:

Former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari on Monday said "PML-N stalwart Khawaja Asif may have spoken against me on someone's direction".

The former president said Asif's statement was an attempt to divide the Opposition. He underscored that such cases keep coming to light if one is a member of the opposition.

Earlier, on September 30, the former foreign minister disclosed on Express News talk show ‘To The Point With Mansoor Ali Khan’ his reservations against Zardari.

The PML-N leader maintained that it was "difficult" for him to trust Zardari, suggesting there is still some bad blood between the two parties, which were once bitter rivals. "I still have reservations against this gentleman [Zardari]," he added.

The PML-N leader said that he still had qualms about trusting Zardari and his opinion of the former president had not changed.

“It is difficult for me to believe him [Zardari] even today,” he added. "I will say this again and again, I don’t believe him.”

However, former premier and PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif told reporters in London that he disagreed with his party man’s statement. “This is not our party policy. I have a great deal of respect for Asif Ali Zardari sahib and he is a part of the PDM,” he added.

“I don’t know whether he [Khawaja Asif] has given this statement or not but I have conveyed to you about what I feel about him [Zardari].”

Asif’s statement came at a time when the opposition parties are preparing to stage their first rally under the banner of their newly formed alliance on October 18 in Quetta, as part of their strategy to send the PTI-led government packing.