LARKANA, Dec 5: Pakistan People's Party leader Asif Ali Zardari has said his party will continue its struggle till the return of party leader Benazir Bhutto to the country.
Talking to newsmen in Naudero on Sunday night, he said that the PPP would hold dialogue with all democratic forces in the country after January when he would complete his country-wide tour.
Replying to a question about Pir Pagaro's statement that elections would be held in 2008, he said he foresaw elections in 2005. Supporting his idea of dialogue with the establishment, he said he would not go to the establishment for talks, rather the establishment come to him.
When asked to comment on the ongoing talks between India and Pakistan, he said that India knew it was not talking to democratic forces and added that negotiations with India would not be 'successful'.
He denied that prior to his release he had held a meeting with the director-general of the ISI. He ruled out any possibility of a split in the PPP into two factions and said that he was working under the command of Benazir Bhutto.
He said the country was passing through a crisis and people did not want a temporary relief which the rulers were offering to them. Replying to a question, he said that he had always welcomed the courts when they announced good decisions.
He said that he would not forget the love he received from the people of Pakistan.PPP secretary-general Jehangir Badar, Sindh president Syed Qaim Ali Shah, District Nazim Khursheed Junejo, Aftab Shaaban Mirani, Nisar Khuhro, MPA Munawar Ali Abbasi, MNA Ramesh Lal, Khalid Iqbal Memon, Shahid Bhutto, Ayaz Soomro and Anwar Bhutto were present on the occasion.
Asif Zardari offeredfatehaand placed floral wreaths on the graves of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Mir Murtaza Bhutto and Shahnawaz Bhutto in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto amid tight security.
He also offered fateha for Ali Nawaz Chandio with his son Gaibi Khan Chandio. Earlier, on his arrival at Dhamraho at the boundary of Larkana and Dadu districts, he was received by thousands of party workers and leaders.
He proceeded to Larkana in a big motorcade. He made short stopovers in Nasirabad, Wagan, Pakho, Waleed, Mirokhan chowk and waved to workers who had set up welcome camps. Our Nawabshah correspondent adds: Mr Zardari said that a national government in the present set-up would be of no use and the PPP would not become a part of it.
Talking to journalists at the Zardari House on Sunday before leaving for Larkana, he said the PPP would form government on its own terms and according to its own manifesto.
He said the PPP had got a better leader in Benazir Bhutto and he was neither interested to lead the party nor would he be accepted. Mr Zardari said Makhdoom Amin Fahim was a representative of Ms Bhutto and the PPP and he would negotiate with other parties.
About Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, he said the former Citibank employee could not understand problems of the common man. He stressed the need for identifying problems of the people and resolving them.
Answering a question, he said that shortage of water was due to non-melting of glaciers and Punjab could not steal water through 'buckets'. Referring to the Kashmir issue, he said when China and Taiwan could engage in $25 million trade, the Kashmir dispute should not hamper trade relations between India and Pakistan.
He said Ms Bhutto had presented a 'dispute-management philosophy' during her visit to India. The PPP leader said that at least 5,000 industrial units should be set up in Sindh, adding that his party would establish industrial zones in Nawabshah, Dadu, Larkana and Sukkur.
He said the people appointed during the PPP regime but sacked by successive governments would be reinstated when his party would come into power. He said he was planning to visit his family in the third week of December.
Mr Zardari claimed that the PPP was the largest party of the country and the warm welcome he received from party workers and supporters during his visit to the interior of Sindh after his release on bail had proved that it was the only party which could show public strength at any time.
About his security, Mr Zardari said his application to the home secretary had been rejected but thousands of party workers were always there to guard him.
