Co-chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday reiterated that his party was aiming to change the system in which institutions would be strengthened rather than personalities.
“We want the power of governance and authority this time rather than only the government as we have to change the system to strengthen the Parliament that could decide as to which president it could work with,” he said while addressing a press conference at the Zardari House here on Wednesday after chairing a meeting of the Central Executive Committee and the Federal Council of the party.
Zardari was accompanied by Senior Vice Chairman of PPP Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Vice Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, Secretary General Jehangir Badar and Information Secretary Sherry Rehman.
Zardari said the PPP aimed to give powers to Parliament to decide which president it could work with. “The Parliament has to decide whether it works with the president or not,” he said while responding to a question.
Regarding the reinstatement of judges, he said the PPP wanted to make the judiciary independent and stronger. “All the basic guidelines for independent judiciary have already been provided in the Charter of Democracy,” he added.
He said at a time when the establishment of the country had come under pressure for the first time, then why all the political forces should demand only the reinstatement of judges. “It’s time that political forces put more pressure on the establishment to accept the demand of independent judiciary, sovereign Parliament and independence of media,” he added.
Declaring the PML-Q as a gang of “hotchpotch individuals”, he excluded it as a political force, adding that talks would be held with no individual but only with political forces. When asked whether the PPP would talk with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement for future coalition, he said though there were reservations of some party leaders belonging to Karachi on cooperation with the MQM, he wanted to take them along, as the MQM was a political force. “Though in Sindh we can form the government without seeking help from others but for a consensus we are ready to work with the MQM,” he added.
Zardari was of the view that political forces had to sit together for the future of the country and make firm decisions to make the institutions stronger. He said the party was in contact with all the democratic forces of the country whether or not they had participated in the elections so that an agreement could be reached on the formation of a consensus government.
Zardari said he had talked with Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Imran Khan, Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch on Wednesday and hoped that he would be able to convince them on major issues. “I am meeting with Nawaz Sharif Thursday (this) evening and we are going to find solutions to the problems of Pakistan,” he said.
Zardari said he had also held meetings with a delegation of US senators and the US ambassador and they had assured him that America stood with the people of Pakistan. When asked about the reasons for the failure of the PPP to come out with a name for the prime minister, he denied any differences within the party and said the name would be revealed after holding talks with allies for the formation of the government as they had still not decided whether the party would nominate the leader of the house or the leader of the opposition.
He said once the party crossed that bridge, it would reveal the name of the party candidate for the premiership. “One thing I want to make clear is that I am not the party candidate (for PM) and the name would be chosen from the top cadre of the party,” he added.
When his attention was drawn towards Aitzaz Ahsan’s statement in which he termed Makhdoom Amin Fahim as a suitable party candidate for the prime minister, he said it might be his personal opinion. “When Aitzaz Ahsan would attend the CEC meeting and give his opinion in the party, then it would be discussed,” he added.
He alleged that the government was involved in withholding the results of the elections and was attempting to change them. “Last night, the situation was that they were trying to change the results,” he added.
He asked the chief election commissioner not to indulge in changing the results and warned that “judges in Pakistan are also used to go to jails”. To a question regarding the PPP demand for the UN probe into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Zardari said he had received a letter from the world body in which they said if the Government of Pakistan asked them, they would be ready to hold a probe. “Whenever we form the government, our first priority would be to make a request to the United Nations to conduct a probe into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto,” he added.
To another question about the PPP policy on the war on terror, Zardari said Pakistan was fighting the war on terror on its own and not for others. “The war on terror is Pakistan’s own war as it took part in the Afghan war against the former USSR,” he added.
Zardari demanded of the government to repeal the Pemra ordinance. “If we form the government, we will not only repeal the Pemra ordinance but also give representation to the media in the Pemra,” he added.
APP adds: About Aitzaz Ahsan, he said he had learnt that there was “relaxation” on restrictions and he expected his release and participation in the next meeting of the PPP Central Executive whenever it was held.
Zardari at the outset said his party supported the implementation of the Wage Board Award for the working journalists and added that talks would be held with newspaper owners in this regard.