A day after a snub by the Punjab government, which had refused to provide a small customary reception upon his arrival in Lahore, President Asif Ali Zardari had some choice words for the Sharifs.
Addressing a meeting at the Governor House in Lahore on Thursday, he said that the “shine that the Sharif brothers were glowing in” was given by him and he could “take it away anytime.”
While openly criticising Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif, President Zardari said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was a party limited to central Punjab and would be wiped out from the region in the next elections.
“The days of PML-N in Punjab are over,” he said. The president added that Lahore is PPP’s city and that the Sharif brothers are living as “migrants” there.
President Zardari also went as far as to claim that they did not have enough people to “even offer funeral prayers” of their father and had taken him to Data Darbar because of the number of people present at the shrine.
Both the PML-N chief and the Punjab chief minister chose to stay away when President Zardari arrived in the city on Wednesday, while no Punjab government minister or official was present at the airport either to receive the president – as is customary.
The move is reminiscent of the PPP-PML-N confrontation in the 90s when Nawaz would choose to stay away from Lahore whenever then prime minister Benazir Bhutto would visit the city.
Speaking to Express News, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah criticised the president for his remarks, saying, “I cannot even believe that such shameful remarks were given by the president.”
“It seems like he (Zardari) has gone mad. He can foresee that he is going to face awful consequences, which is why he is making such statements.”
Reacting to President Zardari’s statement, Nawaz’s daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif tweeted saying: “Guys, do see Zardari’s statements now on TV channels. Wish he had kept this side of him hidden.”
Meanwhile, President Zardari also claimed that acute load shedding in the country would be over before the elections. “We are working on a plan to get rid of load shedding and the situation will improve in coming days,” he said.
The president also asked the Punjab party office-bearers to get ready for the next elections and vowed that the PPP would sweep the next polls.
He said that he was aware of the hardships faced by the people due to inflation and power outages and he assured that the situation would soon get better.
The president later received a large delegation of the Peoples Lawyers Forum at the Governor’s House and hosted a dinner for them. He asked the lawyers to support the party in the upcoming general elections and show the world that Punjab was the bastion of the PPP. (ADDITIONAL INPUT BY NEWS DESK)
Published in The Express Tribune, April 6th, 2012.
COMMENTS (17)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1714024018-0/ModiLara-(1)1714024018-0-270x192.webp)
@Democrat: You call yourself a democrat but are incensed when Mirza gave his point of views which is the fabrics of democracy. Kindly change your name to Martial law.
I donnot support Sharrifs or Bhuttos but a person in the shoes of president should have had enough wisdom not to let personal feuds mess his mind to that extent that he uses unparliamentary and derogatory remarks publically clearly depicting his shallow mind !
What Zardari said is a response to what PML-N is doing. They deem themselves the sole owner of Punjab, they think that Punjab is the land of their forefathers. PML-N is constantly manipulating against other provinces through Punjab. It was not the voice of President but of millions people who are facing animosity of PML-N as sole claimer of Punjab. PML-N has unleashed Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to launch a clandestine campaign against PPP leaders. If you could remember the verbal assault of PML-N on MQM few months ago, you will find out that PML-N leaders are mischievous. They ignite the fire and then try to prove them innocent. The tirade of Zardari against PML-N leaders is not invain.
@gangly khan: I ain't on side of Sharifs or President. But his remarks are rather shameful about their mother's funeral.
What really is Punjabi any way ? Your logic seem to justify criteria for ruler based on blood/provincial ties. The criteria for ruler should be some one Just, Pios, truthful, courageous who chosen by people not * punjabi, kashmiri or Sindhi.
Really? I had to go through it again to realise this is the President speaking.. He was speaking as a Co-Chairman of PPP. If such a thing exist that is.. and also the President.. he can say what he wants and later decide who he was.. when he was saying it.
Sign of weakness and lack of intelligence.
According to his logic same goes for Imran khan who should also be kicked out from punjab because his ancestors came from neigboring pashtun areas of afghanistan.
What is with Maryam Nazwaz tweeting "Guys" I have noticed whenever she speaks English she has to start her sentence with "Guys"!
@Mirza...
i was wondering how would you bring SC into this one..but hats off to you... you can do the most idiotic thing without and iota of logic..bravo..keep on commenting and collecting your pay-per-comment award from the president :)
I believe Mr. Zardari came to Lahore as co-Chairperson of Pakistan not as President of Pakistan if he came to Lahore as President he should be welcome by Punjab Gov. President Zardari claimed that there were not enough people to “offer funeral prayers” of their father and had taken him to Data Darbar.. This is shameful for the President of Pakistan to talk such things. This is not a even criteria.....
@Mirza, thanks for your vision,but where did that come from?Can you personally stand such remarks thrown at you?? Unbelievable.. God,the whole moral fabric of the society is in god damn shreds!
To protect Sharifs the SC should take suo motu against the elected president right away. Sharifs have never used any threats against anybody, SC and LHC should not let their political opponent expose them.
Unprecedented but definitely long over due. The media and judiciary have given Sharif's a very wide bench without ever bothering to think that the provincial government has some power to.
Spoken like a king who can buy anything.
President Zardari; remarks about Sharifs are correct. Punjab is being ruled by non Punjabis. Kashmiris who ran from Kashmir are ruling the country. They are slowly occupying Punjab resources. They also Kashmir issue to get sympathies of old natives. Why they themselves go back to Kashmir and fight war against India to liberate Kashmir. Old natives of this land are ratted backward. Mostly representatives of the people in parliament are Kashmiris and non Punjabi. Similarly all important post are occupied by non Punjabis. Pirs, Uzbaks are mainly dominant who are exploiting the natives in the names of Islam and Kashmir issue. Their policies are aimed to keep the old natives of Punjab subservient.