Democratic forces growing weaker, says Zardari

Author: Agencies

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday that the opposition did not want to derail the government and its only aim was to save country from undemocratic forces.

Addressing a press conference along with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad, the former president said all political parties of the country were being contacted to form a strategy to protect the country from the clutches of “undemocratic forces”.

“We have always tried to not provide any opportunity to undemocratic forces [to govern the country],” he was quoted as saying, adding that he cannot see the country functioning under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

The PPP leader said that the decision on tabling a no-confidence motion against the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan would be made at ‘right time’ and after consulting all ‘friends’. “The aim is not to topple the government, however, the conduct of this government is not democratic,” he added.

Dismissing reports of striking a deal with the PTI government, Zardari said former military ruler General (r) Pervez Musharraf’s era was more suitable to do that. He said democratic forces in the country had weakened in the past few years.

Speaking on the occasion, the JUI-F chief said that a multi-party conference over the issue could be called by next week, adding that the opposition parties would carve out a joint strategy to decide on the future course of action. Date of the huddle will be announced soon, he added.

Rehman said the opposition parties were unanimous on ‘manipulated mandate’ of the government and therefore believe that it did not have the right to rule. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Raja Zafarul Haq of PML-N have already been approached on the matter, he added.

Earlier, the chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam had advised Zardari to let bygones be bygones and meet Sharif considering importance of the current situation. He met the PPP co-chairman at his residence in the federal capital.

Published in Daily Times, October 23^rd 2018.