Pakistan

PPP labels Zardari's anti-army comments as personal opinion

Statement released by party says it believes in upholding the honour of Pakistan and its institutions

Web Desk June 17, 2015

PHOTO: REUTERS

KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Central Working Committee has termed former President Asif Ali Zardari’s statements against the military as his personal opinion,which is not endorsed by the party.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, party said the PPP believed in upholding the honour of Pakistan and its institutions, and the party co-chairman’s statements were issued in his personal capacity.

A detailed press release will be issued later during the day, the statement added.

In a surprising outburst ostensibly against the powerful security establishment, Zardari said on Tuesday that politicians were better suited to running the affairs of the country. “You are here for only three years,” he said in an apparent jab at the army chief.

Read: Angry outburst: PPP co-chairman fires broadside at establishment

The PPP co-chairman expressed annoyance at the purported character-assassination campaign against him and his party. “It needs to stop! There is a limit to everything.”

Warning the establishment, which he accused of tarnishing PPP’s and his image, Zardari said, “Anyone who tries to disturb us will get a befitting response. Be wary! If this doesn’t stop now, I shall come out with a list of generals who have been accused starting from the time Pakistan came into being. And then you’ll spend the rest of your lives providing explanations.”

In response, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday censured Zardari for his outburst against the army, saying the PPP co-chairman’s speech was unacceptable in times of war.

COMMENTS (23)

Aftab | 9 years ago | Reply Zardari should be tried under the 'Artical 6'. If he can challenge the Pak army this way then what's the difference him and enemies of Pakistan??????

Sana Khan | 9 years ago | Reply so the head of PPP who also happens to be the former president of Pakistan used an official fotum for their party to express his personal opinion in front of the entire media...yea right... he shud be tried for treason nd put away in a dark dungeon forever

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Ih | 9 years ago | Reply That was too close for comfort Zardari and associates. Perhaps he did a public service let it all wash out in public. Let there be real and truthful expose of all political leaders and army generals who got rich from corruption. Let us prosecute them. But I know it is a pipe dream. But in this land cursed with corruption accountability never happens.

zr | 9 years ago | Reply Zardari and his party how dearly speck against Pakistan Army and our hero General Raheel Sharif Army must be punish him Zardari and Nawaz such corrupt politicians eating Pakistan internally both are one if army will not take action then every politician speak out same

KK Kool | 9 years ago | Reply @Hussain Saqib: You rightly recognized him as a sniffing d**. He must be deployed with airport security force to sniff the money smuggled by pawns like Ayyan Ali.

ali khan | 9 years ago | Reply would what all mr Z has said be counted at treason or the very least Sedition????

Dr.M.M.han | 9 years ago | Reply Come on Mr.Zardari you can't be serious! Under you the COAS got five years! Now we would like you to expose the Generals and be done with it. How can Pakistan Army do justice to it's job when it is facing enemies form within. To quote Mark Anthony" this was most unkindest cut of all" from a former President.

Ali | 9 years ago | Reply Brilliant move by Zardari. Pakistan needs leaders like Zardari and Altaf Hussain who can look into the eye of the establishment and remind of them of their limits

Abid Shah Mashwani | 9 years ago | Reply So Zardari is co chair of PPP, Altaf Hussain is a Chair of MQM, and when they do press conferences or speeches to their workers, those are their personal opinion and parties do not endorse them? very interesting.

Parvez | 9 years ago | Reply The people who make statements like this need to have their head examined.

Ibrar | 9 years ago | Reply "eent se eent"...fighting with bricks! How sad. Can not believe Zardari's tirade against army. Was he drunk when he said al that?...did not look as if he did! Did Mr Zardari consult his party before his tempering? ...he probably did inform them at least! Did he meet nd consult with his inner Zardari? He probably did but with the angry-self while keeping his true self well protected. Have not we been hearing a good deal from the likes of his once close associate...friend Mirza. Mr Zardari has proven that when it comes to protecting himself he can make any sacrifice, even his country. The extent of his outburst indicates the deep trouble he might be in once the lid from above his wrongdoings was lifted. His threat that he would expose the army generals is most unusual and is reflection of loss of self control rather than a brave act. He may have collected stories from past rather than having found any evidence of corruption against the current military leadership but that alone is not going to justify the route he has taken. Mr Zardari has made a dangerous move and although it can not be said where this will lead to it certainly has the potential of dragging the country into an utter chaos. At this moment of confusion the nation must appreciate the good work Army has done and pay no attention to what Mr Zardari is saying about the distant past. Army/rangers must continue to expose evil deeds as authorised by the government and the opposition. Pakistan Zindabad Army Zindabad Well meaning honest politicians Zindabad

Rumormonger | 9 years ago | Reply Someone just got dropped like a hot potato.

Chaigram | 9 years ago | Reply Zardari's speech should be preserved and etched in gold for future generation to see how incompetent their leaders were.....the nation of Pakistan is so unlucky to have likes of Zardari, Nawaz Sharif and Altaf. May Allah help Pakistan.

MASOOM | 9 years ago | Reply All members of political parties are parrots what boss says everyone copy it (may be wrong or right), Kaira ,information secretary of pppp has supported the ugly statement of his boss against our beloved army now party disown this statement of so call co-chairperson of party ! what a trick !

Hugh Slaman | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnoon Siddiqui: Proud of NS for stating the obvious? Really?

S.R.H. Hashmi | 9 years ago | Reply The statement from the Central Working Committee of the Pakistan Peoples Party which termed ‘the statement by former president Asif Ali Zardari as his personal opinion, which is not endorsed by the party’ comes as a great surprise. The general feeling was, and perhaps still remains, that the party is a hereditary one, with all the leaders governing in the name of Bhutto. It was exactly for this reason that the surnames of Zardari’s children were changed from Zardari to Bhutto and even Asif Ali Zardari claimed to govern in the name of party’s founder Bhutto, and raises Jiyay Bhutto slogan at party meetings. It Is not yet clear whether the CWC’s statement is a revolt by the party stalwarts and a vote of no confidence against the leadership of Asif Ali Zardari, which has seen the party reduced in status from a National party to an interior-Sindh based party, with frugal presence elsewhere in the country. Alternatively, it could simply be a damage-control exercise against the retribution that the statement could bring. After all, it is for the first time that such an open challenge has been thrown to the army chief and the institution that he heads, by some one who is himself not on solid ground, having acquired the titled of Mr. ten percent long time back, which percentage might have changed with the passage of years. Anyway, it is a developing story and let us wait and see how it unfolds. Karachi

Adnoon Siddiqui | 9 years ago | Reply Credit goes to the great Leader Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for diffusing the tension between Army and his fast friend Mr Zardari. Good going NS we are proud of you.

FateeRajput | 9 years ago | Reply From Bhutto's time,we are following and supporting PPPP but after Zardari 's such a stupid statement we have decided not to vote him in coming elections because nothing is more important than our beloved motherland.We can' t comprise on sovereignty and dignity of our Country and Army.

Muhammad | 9 years ago | Reply Instead of speaking against Army, Zarsari should voluntarily present himself and his cronies for accountability.

Hussain Saqib | 9 years ago | Reply In spite of the fact that the US, Israel and India are extremely unhappy with Pakistan Army and its leadership and they would be looking for someone to play their game in Pakistan, Zardari would still be a poor choice for international players. He himself has the problem of his own image nationally and internationally which is that of a small time thug who has plundered the country using different means through his cronies. He cannot think and act internationally unless he smells big money. Therefore, let's not take him seriously.

Naseer | 9 years ago | Reply What a joke! This is the caliber of our political elite :-(

Salman Hussain | 9 years ago | Reply Now PPP adopted MQM policy.....

Kickass | 9 years ago | Reply Then why were PPP stalwarts defending Zardari utterings? They are indeed a stupid lot to think anyone would believe. PP dared issue such denial mean wet pants.

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