This witch-hunt bodes ill for politics of tolerance, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
Former president and co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday criticised the government for the ‘victimisation’ of former premiers Yousaf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, and ex-federal minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim.
In an official statement, Zardari termed the implication of the three PPP leaders in several corruption cases a “witch-hunt behind the façade of accountability” and said it “bode ill for the politics of tolerance, accommodation and reconciliation”.
The former president said national policy decisions, “whether in rental power plants, subsidies or concessions,” were taken collectively and transparently by the cabinet. As such, he said, singling out a former prime minister was wrong.
He added that it was unfair that only public representatives were accused of wrongdoing in such cases and not a single sponsor of the projects was indicted. “This only confirms [our] apprehensions of political victimisation.”
Zardari claimed that while the PPP, during its time in power, sought to protect democracy through political reconciliation, the current government was chasing its opponents and undermining the unity of political forces.
He added that the treatment of PPP leaders Gilani, Ashraf and Fahim was similar to the hounding of former premier Benazir Bhutto in the late 1990s.
The former president called upon the government to review its policies and end the ‘witch-hunt and political victimisation’ of its opponents. He also cautioned the media against highlighting unsubstantiated charges, saying, “This is a dangerous proclivity that will have far reaching consequences and must be eschewed.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 1st, 2014.
COMMENTS (19)
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not a single judgement against Zardari, also Sharifs have also never been says it all how our independent judiciary works
PPPP made a mistake of not piling cases on PML-N during their regime, anyhow there would,nt be any judgement against PPPP as it will be against the spirit of Democracy
Corrupt upto his bone marrow... A persons nature never changes, for sure.
Look who is talking, the most corrupt and hated so called Pakistani leader.
Courts are independent, I think this is a Karachi court constituted by Sind Govt. Zardari himself was exonerated in a case a couple of days ago!!! Don’t misguide people
Chorr machaey shorr!!
In other provinces, some iota progress and development can be visible. But what did the Peoples Party do for the province of Sindh? They were in power for over a decade, and still Larkana looks like a city of the stone age. Hats off to Mr Mustafa Kamal for the beautification of Karachi.
If he wasn't your worst leader I hate to think who was worse. Mr "10 percent" destroyed a political party an dragged Pakistan's reputation into the gutter - near the end the USA President refused to even talk to him. Probably the only Pakistani leader who made Karsai look good.
The smirk on his face ......... says it all. Great choice of picture.
If there was justice in Pakistan 99% of both parties would be behind bars.
Political reconciliation! Haaahh! What a FARCE. If there was any effort to political reconciliation there would not be so much lawlessness in the country. The OUTRAGEOUS and BRAZEN corruption and fraud in five PPP years has crossed human logic. Was that the PPP's commitment to Pakistan? The PPP is lucky the judicial system is weak and sluggish and economic crimes remain undefined in our legal vocabulary. Salams
Accountability is not victimisation!
Look who is speaking!!
This is all noora kushti. They will be presented in court, have a 2 day trial, and be acquitted of all charges on the third day.
Mr zardari ,it means removal of gilani by supreme court in your govt. was political victamization by you!
Who else will support?.
Justice must prevail and corrupt should be punished.
The only option for the government to shield itself against such accusations is to have a comprehensive law ensuring a mechanism for transparent and autonomous investigation on part of agencies like the FIA. If the system is transparent and protected from executive interference, corrupt current or former officials will not be able to blackmail the authorities by crying foul about victimization.
More like sought to protect your corrupt contemporaries. We don't have goldfish memories Mr. Zardari.