He said that PPP workers had not forgiven him to this date for political alliance with the Awami National Party (ANP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). He said injustices were done to PPP workers in KP during the ANP-led coalition government, wherein PPP was a junior partner. Zardari recalled that they were not allowed to reach out to voters in 2013 Elections and he could not campaign for his party but now he has begun campaign and would form the next government.
"PPP workers will not leave the polling booths till the announcement of election results and if Nawaz Sharif tried to rig the elections, they will encircle the polling stations," he warned. When asked as to why he started campaign one year before, he said he waited for four years and observed that not a single problem of Balochistan and KP was solved.
"The rulers made empty announcements and raise hollow slogans. People suffer but the rulers have not paid attention towards them," he said. He also said that people were living below poverty line. He said the Pakhtuns were living under compulsion in Karachi for jobs but the PTI leaders could not generate jobs for them in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Regarding Panama Papers leaks case, the PPP leader said that two judges of the Supreme Court had given their verdict against Nawaz Sharif while remaining three had not declared him innocent but ordered further investigation through JIT. When asked about contradictory statements of his party leaders on Dawn Leaks issue, Zardari said that every PPP leader might have expressed their personal views. However, he said, the outcome of the withdrawal of the tweet was good for democracy.
He said he had not supported Nawaz Sharif but backed the parliament and democratic process for the sake of better future of the country and its generations. If voted to power, he said he would bring the country to its height, which it deserved. He foresees Pakistan's bright future saying all need to have positive approach. He said someone take the increasing population as liability while others consider it as an asset.
"We gave identity and power to Pakhtun and NFC to provinces, which were the people rights," he said. He added that he would complete the remaining work on the mega projects, which he had begun during his government. He supported merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) with KP province saying his party government would solve all these problems and increase the funds, salaries and benefits of all government employees in next government. He recalled that the U.S. and Indians were also present in Afghanistan during PPP-led government but his government didn't push the country towards isolation by taking irresponsible decisions.
"There was not a single political prisoners during PPP government despite the fact that there was one prisoner during the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah's tenure," he compared. He said his party workers were being harassed on various pretexts but they had to face the situation. He said Pakistan under his command could become a better Pakistan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017