Govt can fall on our pitch, not Imrans: Zardari

Says a wolf in Islamabad trying to spoil political atmosphere; terms PTI chief politically immature; his
politics are based on umpire raising his finger and so was his cricket

Faizan Bangash
Monday, December 01, 2014
From Print Edition

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LAHORE: Former president and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday said a
wolf had dug in his paws in Islamabad and was trying to spoil the political atmosphere in
the country. He is eyeing the government but my party wont let democracys ship sink
because of these conspiracy dramas, said Zardari. He added that it was up to the PPP to
decide when the government would stay or go.

Zardari once again expressed his resolve to continue his support for democracy, saying that his
party would not become a part of the conspiracy being hatched in the federal capital. I do like
the go Nawaz go slogan but this is not the right time for it.

The democratic government of Nawaz Sharif is better than any martial law regime; if the
Nawaz government falls, it will fall on our pitch, not Imrans, claimed Zardari, while addressing
the partys 48th Foundation Day ceremony, held at the Bilawal House, Lahore.

Zardari said the PPP had rendered remarkable sacrifices for democracy and it would never
become part of any plot against it. When the PPP workers started chanting the go Nawaz go
slogan, he stopped them, according to sources.

If democracy is derailed, the nation will once again hear the voices of Meray Aziz Hamwatno
(My dear countrymen). So in the interest of the country, democracy must continue, which is
better than any martial law, added the PPP co-chairman.

He was quoted as saying that the PPP will start its game after bowling of Imran Khan adding
that his party would take a right step at the right time.Zardari said todays politics was full of
misguided children, adding that there was a huge difference between Imran and his way of
doing politics. He said while in power, our friends here also troubled the PPP and the party
was defeated through massive rigging in this province (Punjab). However, he added that for
safeguarding democracy, the PPP accepted the election results and it always believed in adopting
a political course for change.

The former president said the PTI Chairman Imran Khan was politically immature and he needed
to learn a lot adding that his politics were based on an umpire raising his finger and so was his
cricket.

The ceremony was attended by former prime ministers Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervaiz
Ashraf, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, Sindh Minister Manzoor Wassan, former interior
ministers Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan and Rehman Malik, former federal ministers Qamar Zaman
Kaira, Sherry Rehman, PPP Central Punjab President Mian Manzoor Wattoo, PPP Lahore
President Samina Khalid Ghurki, Paul Bhatti, chief of Minorities Alliance, political Secretary to
party chairman Senator Jehangir Badr and others.

A large number of party activists from different parts of Lahore attended the Foundation Day.
However, sources added, it was a poorly organised show and it brought sheer embarrassment for
the party high command.

Jehangir Badr was apparently the chief organiser but sources added neither the stage was built
while keeping in view the size of the gathering, nor proper seating arrangements for the officebearers were made.

Initially, there was only one chair on the stage for the party co-chairman. But later, on his
instructions, other party leaders also joined him on the stage. However, due to absence of chairs,
they had to sit on the carpet.

Sources said there was also resentment among different party groups against each other over the
issue of organising the event as some office-bearers from the Punjab were angry with Jehangir
Badr supervising the Foundation Day administrative affairs.

A poor sound system also came under criticism during Asif Zardaris speech, and the organisers
received flaks from the workers. At one time the table carrying the Foundation Day cake also
slipped and resulted in an injury to Sherry Rehman on foot, sources added.

Another issue that brought the party under immense criticism was its constant poor media
strategy. Despite the presence of bigwigs, there was nobody to brief the media waiting outside
the meeting hall about Zardaris speech and other activities, including the declaration and
resolutions passed in the meeting.

At the 48th Foundation Day, no media manager including Farhatullah Babar, spokesman for Asif
Zardari, or any other person like Qamar Zaman Kaira, PPP Punjab Information Secretary Raja
Amir Khan felt the need to provide information to the media or hold a press briefing.

Akram Shaheedi, who is looking after the media affairs of PPP Punjab central president Manzoor
Ahmed Wattoo, once again, quite efficiently, sent the news story comprising speeches of Wattoo
and other leaders to the beat reporters. But there was no stalwart who could brief the media about
the activities of Asif Zardari, who was the key speaker at the event.

According to the press release issued by Akram Shaheedi, Mian Manzoor Wattoo appreciated the
successful efforts of Asif Ali Zardari in salvaging democracy in the country adding that the
people considered him as a symbol of saviour of democracy.

Manzoor Wattoo demanded a provincial Finance Award Commission to ward off the unfair
distribution of development funds among the districts by the government of Punjab. Later,
Makhdoom Shahbuddin, president South Punjab PPP, while addressing the convention, said
there was a need for final push and that final push would be carried out by the PPP.

Paul Bhatti, chief of Minorities Alliance, appreciated the PPP for its soft corner for them adding
that the PPP made an unprecedented decision by granting reserved seats in the Senate to them.

Jehangir Badr, in his opening address, said the PPP considered politics as a romance with the
people and the intensity of this romance had strengthened with the passage of time.A unanimous
resolution was passed that expressed the confidence of the delegates in the leadership of
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, expressing their confidence that the
party would stage a comeback sooner than later.