Farewell dinner: We raised the bar of tolerance, says Zardari

Plans to reinvigorate his party after his tenure ends this week.

ISLAMABAD:

Outgoing President Asif Ali Zardari attending a dinner given in his honour by Leaders of Opposition in the National Assembly and the Senate stated that his party would extend complete support to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to steer the country out of crisis.

Interacting with journalists at the Speaker’s Banquet Lounge, Parliament House, President Zardari said that though the Pakistan Peoples Party would support the government’s decisions they will not be in favour of a military operation in Karachi.

Regarding holding talks with Tehreek-e-Taliban and other anti-state actors he said that the government was always open to holding peace talks with the militants. “We made nine peace deals with militants in FATA and in other volatile areas. But they [militants] must come up at the negotiation table for peace and fulfil their promises.”



Replying to a question regarding the moratorium on death sentences, the president said the moratorium was across the board. “It remained the PPPP policy to come soft [on death-row prisoners],” he said, adding that even if 30% of the accused were innocent it would be injustice to execute them. “Besides Pakistan received incentives if we agreed to maintain the ban,” he elaborated.

Zardari, who is about to complete his five years tenure this week, welcomed PML-N’s steps on foreign policy. The PML-N government, he said, endorsed its predecessor as it decided to promote economic relations with China and brotherly relations with Turkey. “I am happy to recall that together we have showed tolerance towards dissent, we have raised the bar of tolerance and this bar must not be allowed to be lowered.”

About his political career the president maintained that after he retires he will reinvigorate his party by establishing camps at Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Peshawar. “I want to meet party workers and old friends anxiously,” he said.

President Zardari admitted there were some reservations over the electoral process in Fata. However, the poll results were accepted for the sake of continuity of democratic process.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf legislators boycotted the dinner though no reasons for the boycott were cited.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2013.