June 17, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 12, 1429

LAHORE, June 16: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari mocked the lawyers’ long march on Monday and declared his party would soon control the presidency.

Speaking at a gathering of party workers on the lawns of the Governor’s House, Mr Zardari downplayed the lawyers’ long march, stating: “We know what to call a long march. We know when to call a long march. We know how to conduct a long march. And when the People’s Party calls a long march, then Pakistan will see what a long march really is.”

Mr Zardari praised the man who had preceded him on stage, Governor Salman Taseer. He said: “The day is not far off when a man like Salman Taseer will preside in the President’s House and the presidency will be held by the PPP. The time is not far when People’s Party will have a gathering like this in the President’s House and jiyalas will dance. And the walls will reverberate with “Long live Bhutto, Long live Bhutto”.—Reporter