KARACHI: Former president and PPP co-chair Asif Ali Zardari has said that general elections in the country would only be possible after the incumbent government implements electoral reforms and amends the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws.
The announcement comes on heels of an emergency meeting summoned by PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif in London attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and top cabinet members.
Media reports suggested that elder Sharif was worried of the failure of the new government on economic front and the rising popularity of ousted prime minister Imran Khan and was all set to announce early polls.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi on Wednesday, a visibly disturbed Zardari told reporters that the government has to change laws and improve them and then go to elections.
“Whether it takes three or four months, we have to work on implementation of policies and improving the electoral process,” Zardari said who insiders say is opposing early elections which don’t suit the PPP.
“We do not want any selected person to come into power again,” he said, adding that he has persuaded the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif over the electoral reforms ahead of the elections.
The former president said the coalition government has “no issue” with voting rights and representation for overseas Pakistani, adding that a number of seats can be specified for them after discussions.
The army was “apolitical” for the first time, he said, asking whether the situation warranted saluting Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa or “fighting” with him.
Talking about the no-confidence vote that led to the ouster of former prime minister Imran Khan, Zardari said it was “good to know that the army can remain neutral”. He expressed the hope that the army would continue to be “apolitical” and any problems that arose could be solved by political leadership.
Talking about the judiciary, which has been criticised by PTI chairman Imran, he said he has never run a campaign against them.
“[Former military ruler] Pervez Musharraf kept me in jail for five years but we did not attack his house and I have said internationally, I want to see Musharraf alive.
“I think we should let the institution do its work and help them.”
He alleged that the bureaucracy had been destroyed during the PTI government’s tenure and relations with other countries were “not even present”, which the incumbent government would try to improve.
He slammed Imran for labelling his opponents as Mir Jafars and Mir Sadiqs. “If anyone can run the country, it is us, not him. His own friends left him because they (PTI) could not fulfil their political commitments.”
Zardari, while responding to a question, said he has not read the cable that Imran claimed contains proof of a “foreign conspiracy” to oust him.
“I do not believe any [US] State Department official is irresponsible enough to [say] what you have read out to me. There is no such thing. He (Imran) has created a political myth. What need does the US have [to interfere]?”
The former president said Pakistan needs to correct its policies and portray itself as a safe haven so the international community would consider it as a partner.
Elaborating on the issues facing the economy, the former president said oil is expensive which is why the country would hold a dialogue. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has good relations with Saudi Arabia’s ruling family, he noted.
Zardari said the country would keep facing difficulties until the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme is brought back on track.
He claimed that overseas Pakistanis had been “led astray” by the previous government and they had no idea about the prevailing heat and inflation in the country.
In response to a question, Zardari said he had advised Imran to work on an economic charter but the then “selected” prime minister did not understand and the rupee was weakened.
