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KARACHI, Aug 2: Asif Ali Zardari, the imprisoned husband of former prime minister Ms Benazir Bhutto, on Monday said that turncoats could not befool masses by using the name of the Pakistan People's Party and by declaring allegiance to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto after betraying his followers.
Mr Zardari was talking informally to newsmen at the central jail where he was brought in connection with the hearing of Justice (r) Nizamuddin murder case. He dismissed the claim by certain federal ministers, who have formed their own PPP and been using the name of late Z. A. Bhutto as its founder leader.
Mr Zardari claimed that the turncoats could not attract even 500 people to their meeting in Karachi the other day. They were so frightened that even in that small gathering, security personnel were posted all around, he added.
"The credit goes to the late Bhutto whose name is being used by the opponents of our party due to his services and sacrifices for the country and the people." Mr Zardari recalled that certain other politicians who had resorted to the same tactics in Gen Zia's era had been rejected by people. He predicted the same fate of the present lot.
Benazir Bhutto, living in forced exile, is still the leader of the PPP and running the party's affairs through Internet, according to Mr Zardari. Asked whether the Sindh chief minister's spiritual leader, who had called on him (Mr Zardari) in the jail had conveyed to him any message from Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Mr Zardari said: "Hasan Mangi is a close friend of the chief minister and a decent and educated man... He had come to see me."
Replying to a question, he said that Gen Musharraf must shed his uniform and take control of the PML as its president. Pir Pagara's parting ways with the PML, he added, was also a part of this politics. He, however, claimed that general elections would be held in 2005.
Mr Zardari said that he was in favour of dispatching Pakistani force to Iraq, but only generals and brigadiers... not the poor jawans. He said he could not say whether his daughter or son would join politics in future, but added that they should complete their education before deciding about their future.
HEARING ADJOURNED: District and Session Judge Karachi Central Syed Pir Ali Shah Monday adjourned the hearing of Justice Nizam Ahmed murder case against Asif Ali Zardari, husband of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, due to non-appearance of the co-accused, adds PPI.
"The matter was fixed today for indictment of the accused but one co-accused Javed Akhtar Pirzada, who is on bail by Sindh High Court, did not appear before court and charge could not be framed against the accused," Special Public Prosecutor Maula Bux Bhatti said.
He added that surety of the Javed Akhtar has been forfeited and reference is being sent to the high court for cancellation of his bail. The court has now fixed Aug 9 for indictment of the accused, he said.
Asif Zardari was brought to jail from Ziauddin hospital Karachi for appearing before court amid tight security. Bilal Sheikh, Javed Akhtar Pirzada and Babar Sindhu, now on bail, are the co-accused in the double murder case.
Justice Nizam Ahmed, a former judge of Sindh High Court, and his son Nadim Ahmed, a lawyer, were shot dead in an attack on June 10, 1996 out side their house at PECHS area Karachi. Azizullah K Sheikh, Ali Adam Jaffery, Shahdat Awan advocates appeared on behalf of the accused.
