News
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Reopening Swiss cases equal to BB’s trial, says Zardari* Says ready to meet with Nawaz Sharif
* Terms PTI emergence beneficial for politics
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari described the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) and Swiss court cases as the equivalent of putting slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on trial, and added that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) would not go ahead with such a move.
President Zardari made the statement in an interview with a private television channel on Saturday night.
During the interview, the president spoke at length on various issues of national and international importance, ranging from domestic political situation, relations between state institutions and ties with India, China and the United States.
When asked whether the government would write a letter to Swiss authorities because of article 248 of the constitution, the president said that this was not the case, rather he did not want to get it into “history” that his government wrote the letter.
“Twelve to 15 months are left ofmy presidency, after that any government can come and write the letter. Why my government should write it?”
The president said that it was not him but the party who wanted that the letter should not be written.
Speaking about the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the president rejected the idea that
Rehman Malik, Babar Awan, Farhatullah Babar or any other PPP leader had somehow been responsible for the lack of security on December 27, 2007.
The president also asserted that he knew who had murdered Benazir Bhutto.
Responding to a question about parliament, President Zardari said that the PPP was not the only party in parliament and that collective wisdom would eventually prevail on any issue.
In response to another question, President Zardari said that he was ready to meet with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif. He said that his doors were open for talks with everybody. “Politically, you always need support. I need the support of even a small voter not only Nawaz Sharif.”
However, the president said it could not be denied that Nawaz Sharif had started his political career with former dictator Ziaul Haq.
President Zardari said that giving extension to army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani was a question of history. He added that after the 18th amendment, the prime minister gives the extension and the president just signs. He added that when the army chief was granted extension, the opposition should have agitated if they had complaints.
When asked why he filed the reference in court for revisiting the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case, the president said that this was a party decision and the wish of Benazir Bhutto. He said that Benazir Bhutto wanted to file the reference but could not do it.
The president agreed that Pakistan International Airways, Railways and other institutions were weakening.
“I have given all powers to parliament and now I have to help parliament evolve. If I call the meeting of the Finance Ministry and ask them to do this and that, then parliament will not evolve,” President Zardari said.
President Zardari said he asked former finance minister Shaukat Tareen to buy planes when they were cheap, but instead he made a business plan, by which time the planes had become expensive.
The president rubbished allegations that his sister wanted to run an airline and said he would ask the defence minister to cancel the licence of Indus Airline.
He said the country’s nuclear programme was not under his control and he had given away his powers to parliament two years ago.
In response to a question about whether Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party was supported by a faction of the establishment, the president said it was beneficial if more politicians were in the field, regardless of whether a faction was bringing them or not. However, he said he only had one differnce with the PTI.
“When Bhutto sahib came he brought in 99 percent new people. You (PTI) want to bring 96 percent old people, who have left four parties. And you say you will bring change.” app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk