Pakistan

Govt is here to stay, says Zardari

Zardari says announces the govt will complete its mandated five-year term after his meeting with Kayani.

Express September 28, 2010

ISLAMABAD: The PPP-led government will survive all intrigues and complete its mandated five-year term, President Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday, hours after his meeting with the military chief.

“We will continue our forward march and complete the term no matter what the machinations against us,” an official handout quoted the president as saying in a speech to the party’s parliamentarians. Chairing a late-night meeting, Zardari said the government would continue to pursue the socio-economic development agenda which the party had promised the people during elections.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani co-chaired the meeting that was convened in the backdrop of rumours that the government might collapse in the face of political and legal challenges. The president also asked the party’s parliamentarians to gear themselves for the local bodies’ polls which he said would test the PPP’s popularity at the grassroots.

He, however, didn’t mention when the crucial local government elections would be held.

Briefing journalists about the meeting, the president’s spokesperson Farhatullah Babar said the current political situation, reorganisation of the party and the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood-hit areas were discussed in length. The president urged PPP members and workers to remain calm and continue treading the path of political reconciliation.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (7)

Maitre | 13 years ago | Reply Mr Asif Ali Zaradari, you and all components of your government are trying their utmost to live out your five years mandate. But take a few minutes and ponder over your achievements in two and half year. Everybody is trying to loot this country's exchequer with both hands. Who will let you and your partymen run the state? Only a fool. Look, day before yesterday, your cabinet studied the hydroelectrical projects whose costs have gone up from Rs 35 billions to Rs 100 billions. While revising, the bureaucrates admitted that there are lots of discrepencies that are to be rationalised and have hidden the truth. Is this how government runs? Pity on such exploitative mentality. These people and you too are all corrupt with one common mandate to squeeze this country of it's riches.

Kashif Shaukat | 13 years ago | Reply I am a great supporter of democratic government to complete its full term, but my support if for the liberal and honest government..not the current government of PPP and co. PPP consists of most qualified and talented people but at the same time it is headed by most incompetent and corrupt leaders by the virtue of NRO. It is a tragic moment for Pakistan when a a ruling party whose chairman and other main leaders' integrity is challenged because an illegal (NRO) order, talk about law. In my opinion there is a possibility of Musharraf coming back into politics and might be taking over this time as a´democratic leader, as he is the one who gave the current government a life by issuing them NRO. PML (N) failed to play its role as an active opposition. They are tried and tested and got enough corrupt leaders itself. There is a high possibility that many of PPP, PML, MQM and other leading party's leader join Musharaf to form a new government, and why not, he has the backing of army, support of PPP as they are the one who presented him Guard of honor and its their turn to return the favor. So yes I feel this government will survive for the time being. CJ and SC have gave decisions against the government but nothing has been implemented. There are talks of revolution, I dont see it coming, we need to read French revolution to understand better. The change will only come from inside and by educating our people who vote in favor of such NRO government, and they will do it again until they know the value of their vote and the fact that hold the key for better Pakistan in their hand. Kashif

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Waqar Jalal | 13 years ago | Reply A rigorous campaign is underway by opposition leaders to knock out President Asif Ali Zardari or the PPP-led federal government. They are using Supreme Court to remove President Zardari either directly or by asking the army to send tanks and troops to do this, because they think that the federal government cannot be removed through parliament. The danger of confrontation between the PPP-led federal government and the superior judiciary is going to be extremely unfortunate if SC didn’t leave rigid approach and will be detrimental to the future of democracy. The major opposition parties are expected to support the SC in this confrontation, instead, standing by democratic government to end this tense situation. Unlike November1997, when Nawaz Sharif confronted the SC to save his government, he is expected to support the SC this time for punitive action against the present prime minister and/or the president. I think it would be immature to assume that government will collapse in the face of political and legal challenges. In the backdrop of rumours, anti-democratic forces are being facilitated by our opposition leaders, which is regrettable. It is high time that we should support government in tackling challenges it is facing today.

Faisal Arshad | 13 years ago | Reply If the alternate to Mr. President is COAS, I believe the current government must continue...There has'nt been better results in the military takeovers or re-elections...In fact they (the elite) would rule and corrupt in all forms ....Autocratic or Democratic. ..So why this hue n cry?

Mariam | 13 years ago | Reply He has a new confidence after meeting with COAS.

Saeed Islahi | 13 years ago | Reply As an optimist I would like a civilian government to complete its full term. However,when it seeks for its life assurances from an Army Chief then my gut feeling is that its demise is not far away.Mr.Zardari,despite his tall claims of ownership of peoples' mandate, appears to be tenuously hanging on Army Chief's endorsement of his regime.It seems Mr.Zardari has not learnt any wise lesson from the fates of his wife or his father-in-law( whom he deeply loathes).Once their dependents on such support was articulated, an apparation of Tara Masih would appear to their final end. Saeed Islahi

Ahmer Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Assalam-o-Allaiklum Warahmatullah.As Allama Iqbal said "Batil kay iqtadar mein taqwa ki aarzo,Kitna haseen faraib hai jo kha rahay hain hum"I shall say only this after reading the statement of our NRO certified and accused of corruption,money laundering and white collar criminal president.

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