If Musharraf took notice of attack on Benazir, APS massacre wouldn't have happened: Zardari
PPP co-chairman brushes off rumours of rift with Bilawal. Says PPP is conditionally supporting military courts
GARHI KHUDA BAKHSH:
Standing before the tomb of Benazir Bhutto in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Saturday that had then President Pervez Musharraf taken notice of the Karsaz attack, then the Peshawar school massacre would never have happened.
Addressing the crowd on the seventh dead anniversary of the former prime minister, who was killed allegedly by militants in a bomb and gun attack in Rawalpindi, Zardari lamented Musharraf's indecisiveness for a military operation.
"Had that 'billa' taken notice of the Karsaz 2007 bomb blast and started an operation against terrorists then, the Peshawar incident would not have occured."
He further lamented how the establishment, despite Benazir's warning, had failed to separate the Afghan and Kashmir jihad, which had contributed to the current malady.
"We only accept this law conditionally as long as it does not become a black law and is not used against political institutions," Zardari said, adding that it not be should be used against politicians, intellectuals and the media.
"When a similar law was introduced the last time, we were in jail and our cases were being tried under such courts. Aitzaz (Ahsan) appeared on my behalf in the Supreme Court where we successfully established that trials cannot be held under military courts."
He also clarified media reports citing the rift between him and his son Bilawal.
"I know that people against the PPP have been saying that there are rifts between me and Bilawal, and about our party, but this party is still alive," he clarified.
Further, the PPP leader said, "To take on big responsibilities, one has to pass through the torture of prison."
"When it comes to Makhdoom sahib (Makhdoom Amin Faheem), he has never been traitorous [to thePPP] in the past," the former president said in an attempt to clear reports claiming that the PPP stalwart is joining an ‘anti-PPP’ group comprising members of the Muttahida Qoumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), among others.
"We are hopeful that he will not be a traitor today either," Zardari said.
Fahim had also recently met Musharraf, giving rise to speculation that the former is creating a forward block within the PPP.
Standing before the tomb of Benazir Bhutto in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Saturday that had then President Pervez Musharraf taken notice of the Karsaz attack, then the Peshawar school massacre would never have happened.
Addressing the crowd on the seventh dead anniversary of the former prime minister, who was killed allegedly by militants in a bomb and gun attack in Rawalpindi, Zardari lamented Musharraf's indecisiveness for a military operation.
"Had that 'billa' taken notice of the Karsaz 2007 bomb blast and started an operation against terrorists then, the Peshawar incident would not have occured."
He further lamented how the establishment, despite Benazir's warning, had failed to separate the Afghan and Kashmir jihad, which had contributed to the current malady.
"We only accept this law conditionally as long as it does not become a black law and is not used against political institutions," Zardari said, adding that it not be should be used against politicians, intellectuals and the media.
"When a similar law was introduced the last time, we were in jail and our cases were being tried under such courts. Aitzaz (Ahsan) appeared on my behalf in the Supreme Court where we successfully established that trials cannot be held under military courts."
He also clarified media reports citing the rift between him and his son Bilawal.
"I know that people against the PPP have been saying that there are rifts between me and Bilawal, and about our party, but this party is still alive," he clarified.
Further, the PPP leader said, "To take on big responsibilities, one has to pass through the torture of prison."
"When it comes to Makhdoom sahib (Makhdoom Amin Faheem), he has never been traitorous [to thePPP] in the past," the former president said in an attempt to clear reports claiming that the PPP stalwart is joining an ‘anti-PPP’ group comprising members of the Muttahida Qoumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), among others.
"We are hopeful that he will not be a traitor today either," Zardari said.
Fahim had also recently met Musharraf, giving rise to speculation that the former is creating a forward block within the PPP.