GUJRANWALA: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari has asked Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan to play his role in parliament instead of shutting the country.

Addressing his party workers at the farmhouse of Chaudhry Muhammad Siddiq Mehr in Kamoke on Thursday, he said Imran Khan should know that it was not a T-20 cricket match but he would have to play a long innings.

He said though Khan was staging a sit-in Islamabad and addressing public meetings in different cities, he would have to opt dialogue in the end.

The former president said he knew what poverty was and what were the issues of farmers, labourers and common people. He said his party would resolve all issues shortly after coming into power.

He said all political forces should unite to strengthen democracy and institutions in the country. He assured his party workers that leadership would give them respect and honour as old workers were the PPP asset.

Punjab PPP President Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo, Gujranwala city president Asadullah Pappa and host Chaudhary Siddiq Mehr also spoke.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2014