“If we want to hold talks with the Taliban we will have to differentiate between their political and armed wings because the latter does not believe in talks,” says President Zardari. PHOTO: AFP
Asif Zardari was elected to the Presidency on September 6, 2008 and his five-year constitutional term expires in September 2013.
“I’ve no right, or justification, to run for the office of president this time round,” Zardari told a select group of journalists in his first panel interview after the elections. “If the party [PPP] wants me to lead, I will lead it. Otherwise, I’ll serve the party as a worker,” he said.
The PPP’s rival Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) has emerged as the single largest party in the elections. Zaradri welcomed the new government and said that the PPP would cooperate with it while sitting on the opposition benches. “We will play the role of a constructive opposition,” he added.
President Zardari said that he was happy with the first-ever democratic transition of power in the country. “Not only Nawaz Sharif but also other political stalwarts, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman, played a role in making this democratic transition possible,” he said.
For the first time in the parliamentary history of Pakistan, PPP’s Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani was unanimously elected leader of the house in 2008. Zardari said that Nawaz Sharif should also be elected unopposed. He advised him to contact other parties for this purpose.
On the issue of peace talks with the Taliban, President Zardari said there was a need to differentiate between the militant and political wings of the ultraorthodox group. “If we want to hold talks with the Taliban we will have to differentiate between their political and armed wings because the latter does not believe in talks,” he added.
Referring to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for its policy vis-a-vis US drone strikes, the president said that those who say they would put an end to drone strikes should fulfil their promises. “What will you do after shooting down a drone? Drones are not kites that you can just shoot down,” he added.
President Zardari said his government had no secret agreement on drone strikes with the United States. However, he added that he was not aware if former military ruler Pervez Musharraf had signed such a deal.
Asked about the fate of Musharraf who was recently granted bail in the Benazir Bhutto assassination case, Zardari said, “Now, Musharraf’s fate is in the hands of [incoming premier] Nawaz Sharif.” He added that if the new government requested him to pardon Musharraf, he would be bound to act accordingly.
About the Balochistan conundrum, President Zardari said the PPP-led coalition government did a lot for the Baloch people. However, he added that “you cannot do [much] for those who do not do anything for themselves”.
Asked about the role of the establishment in Balochistan, President Zardari said that the definition of this word had changed in the country. Time and again, the Baloch nationalist leaders have blamed the establishment for the dismal affairs of the province.
About graft cases in Switzerland, President Zardari said: “The Swiss cases are controversial and have no value or importance.” He added that he had already spent eight years in jail over these cases.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2013.
COMMENTS (16)
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This is hilarious. How on earth he can even think of contesting when its very much clear that he is not going to win. Simply he doesnt have the majority. Also as i believe, he was not chosen by the people of Pakistan, rather he was appointed by NATO for their interests and he has already served them well.
Thank you... I do not know how I will make up for your 'ehsaaan' of 'choosing' not to run for President again!!!
U will b missed Mr. President, he will surely go down as the most democratic president in history of Pakistan, people just don't realize how much service he did to this country by holding free and fair elections, at least he didn't take a single measure to help his party. God Bless u
He has emptied the exchequer so there is no reason for him to stay. Good riddance
@RB Mian: Your comment is worth more than the Annual Budget of Pakistan. If a human being gets justice, he will go on to sacrifice his life for the state. The administration of justice is the firmest pillar of government...George Washington
@Rehan: Your interpretation of success and failure of projects misses out on an important factor, which is lack of a genuine concern to get these projects moving in the interest of the citizens. If they have vanished from the public attention, it is because the noise and clamor in the press has subsided. The eighteenth amendment did not put food into the stomach of the poor or did it? It did not solve load shedding or did it? There is talk of superseding the eighteenth amendment. The Gwadar Port and Iran gas Pipeline projects could have come earlier. Don't you think so?
Salams
@Rehan: Gawadar, gas pipeline etc. weren't jobs the President of Pakistan should have been doing. Unless you're suggesting he was operating outside the bounds set for him buy the Constitution? It's incredible how anyone can find anything good to say about this man after the state he's brought the country to.
I see a bleak future for our SMS industry.
Can I request the ET to present a summary of all the over seas trips made by the President and an estimate of their benefit to the Pakistani people? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ How much was the cost to the tax payer?
Transition of power from a civilian government to another is one of the best moment of our history and it would not have been possible without Mr. Zardari and Mian Nawaz Sharif. Thank you both of you.
PPP is more democratic under Mr. Zradari. Unfortunately its members were not able to serve the people and failed in governance
We dont need you anyways
People of Pakistan should be thankful to Mr. Zardari for successfully restoring democracy to the country. He’s accomplished more as a president than anyone in the past. But unfortunately the only way to get general public support is through bound-to-fail ‘lafafa’ projects like sasti-roti, free laptops, bus service and empty inqlaab slogans. Mr. Zardari deserves a lot of credit for the developments on Gawadar port, gas pipeline, 18th amendment, empowerment of constitutional institutions and keeping the economy afloat in the middle of a worst global economic crisis in decades. There were definitely governance issues but these things would only go away once the democratic setup gets mature enough.
Thank you Mr. Zardari and good luck with your future endeavors.
Good for him.
“The Swiss cases are controversial and have no value or importance.” Because no more money is left in those accounts and already been transferred and also evidences of the cases have been destroyed. It is an agony how corruption in million dollars remains untouched and a theft of cycle or goat gets severe punishment. The lack of justice is root cause of all problems in this country.
I will miss him dearly.