September 12, 2003	Friday	Rajab 14, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 11: PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday said Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali’s upcoming visit to the US would strengthen him more than it would President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

He was talking to reporters here at the Rawalpindi Accountability Court where he had come to attend the proceedings in the BMW and ARY cases. This was his first appearance after coming back from Karachi.

He said Prime Minister Jamali was being given complete protocol as he was being invited to the White House.

Referring to the recent tape footage of Osama bin Laden, Mr Zardari said whenever a US visit of any Pakistani leader was planned, such videos were aired.

He criticized the government’s foreign policy, and said due to the policies of the generals, the country was suffering. He said the foreign policy was a complete failure. This was evident in the wake of the growing defence ties between India and Israel, he added.

On the one hand India was establishing relationship with Iran by entering into defence pacts, while on the other the situation at the borders between Pakistan and Afghanistan was getting tense day by day as a result of which the country was passing through a crucial juncture.

About the recent judgment of the Swiss court against Benazir Bhutto and himself, Mr Zardari said the court had not given a final verdict rather an opinion against which “we have already filed appeals”.

He was of the view that cases against him were a part of character assassination campaign against politicians by the military government.

Replying to a question, the PPP leader alleged that certain elements were trying to create a rift between Benazir Bhutto and the military establishment by creating misunderstandings. Still the party was united on one-point agenda, that Gen Musharraf should relinquish the post of president.