Towards Islamabad: PM invites Zardari to discuss NAP implementation

Zardari meets PPP provincial leaders in Karachi; addresses differences of K-P leaders

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari will head to Islamabad today where Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has invited him for a meeting to discuss the implementation of National Action Plan.

Sources in the PPP informed that the premier telephoned Zardari on Thursday and invited him to visit Islamabad for deliberations on counter-terrorism and extremism, two burning issues in the country currently.



Earlier, presiding over a party meeting at Bilawal House Karachi, Asif Ali Zardari reiterated that PPP would not be part of any conspiracy to derail democracy. “We are not supporting PML-N (Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz) government, but want to strengthen the democracy and dispensation of justice,” he said.

He said the military courts should be established to deal with terrorism cases, adding that his party would not support these courts to “inflict the common and innocent citizens.”

In a separate meeting with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa office bearers of PPP, Zardari addressed their differences and vowed to reorganise the party in the province. Former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, MNA Faryal Talpur, PPP Vice-President Sherry Rehman, former interior minister Rehman Malik, former deputy speaker National Assembly Faisal Kareem Kundi, PPP K-P President Khanzada Khan and others were also present on the occasion.

K-P office bearers also expressed concern over supporting the PML-N government, which according to them had been victimising them, but Zardari assured them that he is not for or against anyone, adding that “we want to support democracy and its institutions.”

After the meeting, Khanzada Khan, who was flanked by Senator Rubina Khalid and Faisal Kareem Kundi at the press conference, said the party in the province was being reorganised and all K-P office bearers and workers have vowed to work for strengthening the PPP in the north-western province.

He appreciated the PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari for resolving “petty disputes” within PPP, which according to him were causing great loss to the party. “Today, our leadership has instilled a new sprit in all leaders of our province. We are now going to reorganise the party at gross root level in K-P,” said Khanzada Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd, 2014.