Former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Thursday that he has "enough tricks to disrupt" Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) plans to dissolve Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies, Aaj News reported.
During an exclusive interview with Aaj TV’s program Faisla Aap Ka, Zardari said that not only would the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) bring a no-confidence motion in Punjab but KP as well.
When the interviewer pointed out that the PDM did not have numbers in hand, he said: “Some friends have strayed to the wrong path, we have to bring them back.”
The former president also noted that early elections were not favorable for either the country or democracy.
When asked what would happen if PTI succeeded in dissolving assemblies, he said: “Then we’ll have re-elections for those assemblies, we’ll see how many MPAs he (Imran Khan) gets back into the assembly.”
To a question about approaching Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi, Asif Zardari said that there was a distance between the two of them.
“I made Elahi deputy prime minister and gave them 17 ministries. This time they opted out themselves. We have bigger choices than them now.”
‘New army chief appointed on institution’s choice’
Responding to a question about the appointment of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Asim Munir, Zardari said that the new army chief was appointed by the institution’s choice.
“I told PM Shehbaz to use his constitutional right. I told him we are your allies […] we give you authority to use your constitutional power. Shehbaz is a good man, he could have not called us and selected the COAS.”
The former president said that there may be some things that coalition leaders differed on but promised that it won’t dent their alliance because “everything is irrelevant, only Pakistan is relevant”.
He went on to say that he did not personally know Gen Munir. “He was the first person on the list [sent to the Prime Minister House]. And as per seniority, he was selected.”
Zardari said that former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa never approached him for an extension.
“He might have said it to the prime minister. I wanted to lobby for Gen Aamer, who was sixth on the list, but I could not because the situation was not good.”
Can defeat Imran in any constituency
The PPP co-chairman also claimed he could defeat PTI chairman Imran Khan in any constituency “except for Mianwali where the Nawab of Kalabagh will stand against him”.
In response to a question on whether he could reach an understanding with Imran, the former president said he could not “run after a man who keeps barking”.
“And even if it has to happen, the executive will do it, not me,” he added.
