Vawda predicts Zardari controlling political strings

Former federal minister Faisal Vawda on Friday predicted that PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari was poised to secure the presidency with a huge majority, saying that the former president's final act would involve "putting his own stamp on the power".

In discussions with various private channels, he recalled that he had previously foreseen MQM throwing its weight behind Zardari.He claimed that Zardari would initially extend a friendly pat to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif but would eventually engage in political manoeuvring, with the ex-president giving a forceful push and then sealing his dominance over the powers.Warning against underestimating the political prowess of PPP, Vawda asserted that attempts to ‘minus’ PPP from politics would prove futile.

Moreover, the former PTI leader claimed that the PPP harboured intentions to actively participate in Punjab during the budget proceedings, securing a significant role in negotiations with the IMF while gaining more control over political strings.Highlighting the impact of the recent change in government, Vawda criticised the surge in prices.

He claimed that prices of goods were previously under control, but with the coming of the "contractors and watchmen of democracy” to power, petrol costs saw a spike of 11 rupees.He painted a bleak picture of the country’s economy in the coming days.