PESHAWAR: Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Monday claimed his party would sweep the next general elections to form governments in the centre and provinces on its own.

“Our party won the last general elections but ROs (returning officers) changed the election results. We will sweep the next polls, too, and ensure formation of own federal and provincial governments without adjustment with any political party,” he told a workers’ convention at the house of former PPP provincial president Syed Zahir Ali Shah here.

PPP general secretary Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, provincial president Humayun Khan, leader Zahir Ali Shah and women wing leader Nighat Orakzai also spoke on the occasion.

The PPP leader said in 2013, two judges stopped him from taking part in the party’s election campaign saying he’s the country’s president and therefore, he couldn’t seek votes for his party.

PPP co-chairman says he’ll canvass for party across country

He said no one would be able to stop him from canvassing for the party’s candidates in the next elections and that he would go to all nooks and corners of the country during election campaign.

Mr Zardari said the PPP had rendered huge sacrifices for the country, especially the strengthening of democracy, and therefore, the people would vote it to power in 2018.

“We will not do seat adjustments with other parties as doing so will be tantamount to sharing the credit of our sacrifices with others,” he said.

The PPP leader said the people would see the ‘real tsunami’ emerge from Karachi and set in Peshawar, which was bound to change their fate.

He said no one could expect ‘tsunami’ in a single province.

Mr Zardari said it was mandatory for him to go to parliament after gaining ‘so much experience’ during the last five years.

He added that PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would also become a member of the National Assembly.

The PPP leader also said he suffered violence in imprisonment, especially solitary confinement, but didn’t yield to the tyrant forces.

He said PPP leader Benazir Bhutto’s death in a terrorist act was an irreparable loss for the party, especially ahead of elections, but he managed things and controlled workers and won elections to save the country.

“We will decide after elections about the nominee for the prime minister’s office,” he said.

Mr Zardari said the party would hold big public meetings across the country to reorganise itself and bringing disgruntled activities back to the fold.

He said after coming to power, the PPP would establish industrial zones in Fata, provide the region with natural gas on subsidy, and ease energy crisis there.

Also in the day, the PPP leader addressed the party’s workers from Fata at the house of former minister Arbab Alamgir and said he would continue working for the merger of their region with KP.

Earlier, the PPP provincial president said he would ensure the completion of the party’s reorganisation in the province within three months.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2017