NAWABSHAH: Everyone comes to power under a “deal” in Pakistan and so did [ousted prime minister] Nawaz Sharif and [Prime Minister] Imran Khan, none of whom know how to get jobs done and how to run the country’s affairs.

This was stated by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, who is a former president of Pakistan, while speaking to party workers and supporters at the residence of a party activist, Imdad Hussain Rahu, in Sabu Rahu village near Sakrand on Tuesday.

Disapproving PM Khan’s way of bringing in investments and arranging for bailout packages for the country, Mr Zardari remarked that the “prime minister is begging all around which is not good [for the country’s prestige].

“Our party ruled over the country with available resources,” he said.

Mr Zardari said that Imran Khan proudly made mention of the achievement with regard to bilateral business with China in the latter’s currency but he [PM] did not know that the PPP government had signed such an agreement with six countries, including China. “The other countries include Jordan, Turkey and Sri Lanka,” he claimed.

The former president, currently a member of the National Assembly, noted that the federal government was planning and finding ways to arrest him [in the wake of ongoing investigations into several money-laundering scams]. “But this will add to the popularity I already enjoy,” he remarked, and said he was not afraid of such things as he had already gone through such episodes of tussles with governments in the past.

Mentioning the 18th Constitutional Amendment and Balochistan package as PPP government’s distinctive initiatives, Mr Zardari said that he [as the head of state and the PPP] gave constitutional rights to Balochistan though no one had approached him with such a plan. “We also got provinces autonomy through the 18th Amendment because it was their right,” he added.

Turning to the PPP government in Sindh, Mr Zardari said it had accorded a priority and set its focus on the agriculture sector. Lining of watercourses was done throughout Shaheed Benazirabad district. “Nawabshah was given several packages previously and will be given another special development package,” he announced.

MPAs Haji Ali Hasan Zardari, Ghulam Qadir Chandio, Sardar Khan Mohammed Dahiri, former law minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar and other PPP leaders were also present.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2018