Political huddle: Zardari starts playing his cards again

Musters support over Pak-China corridor project transparency

ISLAMABAD: In an attempt to muster support for his party’s stance over perceived lack of transparency on part of government in executing recently signed multi-billion dollar projects with China, former president Asif Ali Zardari held a huddle of mainstream political parties on Thursday night.

At the dinner meeting hosted for leaders of political parties from both the government and opposition benches, Zardari presented his stance over the issue and pressed the government to take all the political forces on board before moving ahead with these projects.

However, political analysts view the move an effort to coalesce the opposition groups on PPP’s stance. “We are ready to cooperate with the government on all major national issues. But the government should consult all the political parties. There will be no other way to move ahead,” Farhatullah Babar, spokesman to Zardari, told reporters. While the meeting was still in progress Babar along with Sherry Rehman had a brief chat with reporters.

Babar said the participants had an informal discussion across the political divide where they discussed issues of national importance ranging from Pakistan-China economic corridor, provincial autonomy, national finance commission award and election reforms besides other issues.

“There is a need for developing consensus on issues of national importance based on transparency. Without broad based political ownership of mega economic projects, the national economy will not make progress,” Babar quoted former president as saying.

PML-N was represented by Federal Ministers Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal and Pervez Rashid.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Senator Talha Mahmmod were from JUI-F, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and Shafqat Mehmood represented PTI. Mushahid Hussain Sayed of PML-Q, Mahmood Achakzai of PkMAP and Israrullah Zehri and Ihsan Shah of BNP-Awami, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao of Qaumi Watan Party and Ghulam Ahmed Bilaor of ANP represented their parties.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2015.