F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Co-Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and former president Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that next assembly will decide about amendment in article 62 and 63 of the constitution.
Addressing a news conference here, he said it was mandate of the next assembly to make amendment in the article 62 and 63 of the constitution. He said politically motivated cases were instituted against him in NAB, adding he was tortured in prison.
“I was arrested after being trapped in false case … I was transferred from Lahore to Karachi and then to Landhi Jail which is a long story. There were fourteen cases against me not one,” he added.
Former President thanked God, saying due to blessings of Allah he has been acquitted in all cases. About his future actions, he declined to take action against those who made cases against him. He further said that his party Pakistan Peoples Party does not believe in taking revenge.
He said a case of narcotics and BMW was also made against him. He said PPP’s political opponents were favoured when those who were in power had cracked down on the party. He said that Murtaza Bhutto was martyred in order to bring down Benazir’s government.
Regarding party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the former president said that the Bhutto scion possessed full authority and that no one could say no to him. He spoke about former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and said that when Benazir Bhutto was negotiating the National Reconciliation Order’s terms, she had also spoken about Nawaz’s return.
He said that he had always kept in mind the bigger picture throughout his political career. “I could have formed my government in Punjab after 2008 but I let the Sharifs form theirs,” he said. “Without the Sharifs, I couldn’t have ousted Musharraf,” he added. He predicted that there will be a higher number of independent candidates to contest the polls this time.
Talking about NRO, he said electoral reforms had been carried out in the pact through which the return of Nawaz Sharif was made possible. He praised Benazir Bhutto for not calling any GT Road march when ousted in the 90s. “I saved PML-N government. We have to initiate dialogue to strengthen the parliament. Everyone has the right to contest in elections. Imran Khan would have known more if he spent time in prison,” former President noted.
He added even a junior clerk does not relinquish his powers but he gave his powers to the Parliament. Asif Zardari said that he does not believe in confrontation with the judiciary, adding he used to wage struggle with it. It was the reason he faced courts, he concluded.
