Daily Times

Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Friday urged all the political parties to sit together and decide on a date for the next general elections in the country. Speaking to a private TV channel, Zardari said that the general elections should be held at the same time across the country. “The problem is not that we are afraid of elections,” he said, adding that his party did not have an objection to the poll but its “timing”. The PPP leader maintained that his party had joined the National Assembly with just 14 seats in the past.

Stressing the need for talks between all the political forces, the former president said: “Our words carry weight when we talk to our allies.” Referring to alleged favouritism shown to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan by the judiciary and the establishment, Zardari said: “There is a domicile difference between Imran Khan and me.”

Slamming Khan, the PPP leader said that the political workers stage protests but they do not pick up weapons. He claimed that Khan was not a popular leader, saying that he paid the people. Responding to a question about former chief of army staff General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, the PPP leader revealed that he and PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had asked Bajwa not to seek resignation from Khan. He maintained that they decided to topple the PTI-led government as the deposed prime minister had devised a plan to stay in power till 2035 by “picking an army chief of his choice”. The PPP leader cited “insurgencies” in provinces and pending funds from friendly counties as reasons to support his argument of holding provincial and general elections on the same day.

He further remarked, “Law, I understand, but politics, they don’t understand. They mean the judges.” When asked about his proposal to hold “talks with the PTI” and what else he had to offer to the opposition party other than the elections, he reiterated: “I am not refusing elections, my only dispute is regarding the dates”. He added, “Which political force is scared of elections? My only contention is that it’s too soon. The situation is not right – funds from friends and loan from the IMF are due, for which [the money lender’s] conditions are to be met.” Asked about concerns that the ruling coalition would delay elections beyond October, he said it was not possible and the idea was a “foolish thought”.