GARHI KHUDA BAKHSH: In a message to the establishment that it cannot limit his role in the country’s politics, former president Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday surprised his foes and friends alike when he announced contesting a by-election on a National Assembly seat, to be vacated by his elder sister in Nawabshah, to give what he said would be tough time to ‘the Mughal emperor’ in parliament.

Mr Zardari’s own party leaders were not aware of the “good news” he delivered at a public meeting held here to commemorate the ninth death anniversary of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, as he himself said that he would seek permission from the Pakistan Peoples Party’s central executive committee about contesting the by-election.

He told the party workers and supporters that his son, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, would also contest a by-election on a Larkana seat, to be vacated by PPP lawmaker Ayaz Soomro, to join the lower house of parliament.

PPP chief threatens long march after deadline to implement his four points passes

It was Mr Zardari’s second public appearance after he ended his 18-month-long self-imposed exile on Dec 23 and returned to Pakistan from the United Arab Emirates.

Rumours were rife that Mr Bhutto-Zardari will continue to lead the party as the political situation was not favourable for Mr Zardari in the wake of Rangers raids and registration of cases against his close aide and he would soon leave the country. But his plan to sit in parliament appears to be a clear message for the powers that be that there will be no going back for him. He will not be a first former president to choose to contest elections to join parliament. Earlier, former president Farooq Leghari had contested and won the 2002 general elections on an NA seat. Former president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf had also planned to contest the 2013 general elections, but he was disqualified.

By returning to the assembly, Mr Zardari, who is the head of the PPP-Parliamentarians, will definitely overshadow the role of his son, who is the chairman of the PPP, in the country’s parliamentary politics.

Likewise his Friday’s speech in Karachi, the former president criticised PM Sharif, referred to him as the Mughal emperor and spoke against his several decisions, including import of gas from Qatar.

He said that being a former head of the state he did not need to join parliament again, but he took the decision because Prime Minister Sharif was risking Pakistan’s stability.

The move to contest the by-election on his sister Dr Azra Fazal’s seat seems to suggest that he wants the current democratic set-up and the National Assembly to complete its term. He assured the prime minister — not in so many words — that he would not be part of any unconstitutional move that may lead to his removal.

“I, along with my son, am not coming to parliament to snatch your seat,” he said, without naming the prime minister.

“My objective is to sit in parliament and make you and other friends in the opposition understand what is beneficial for Pakistan.”

Unlike his June 2015 hard-hitting speech in which he lashed out at the military establishment, he was very cautious while talking about the military establishment. He said he never criticised the armed forces as he was aware of the sacrifices made by the institution.

Mr Zardari, who had completed his five-year constitutional term as president in 2013, said that he extended full cooperation to PM Sharif after the general elections over three years ago but the latter had ruined democracy and did not keep his words.

He said he had no objection to the appointment of a retired judge of the apex court as the head of the accountability commission. He said that he and his party were not afraid of courts, but the PM should not appoint a judge like that of a former Chief Justice of Pakistan as the accountability commissioner.

He criticised the LNG import deal with Qatar and asked the government to allow him to bring cheap oil and gas from Iran to the country.

He asked PM Sharif whether he knew the sentiments of the people of Kashmir on his cordial relations with his Indian counterpart.

Earlier, PPP chairman Bhutto-Zardari asked his workers to get ready for launching a political long march against the government, which had turned a deaf ear to his four demands.

He told the charged crowd here that he would visit every nook and corner till “the end of the Jati Umra empire”.

He said that the party’s CEC’s permission would be sought to launch the long march.

Recalling the sacrifices of Ms Bhutto for the sake of democracy, he said his late mother had struggled for the rights of every citizen and for the downtrodden and “I promise to protect their rights”.

Referring to the Zia’s Martial Law which was condoned by the judiciary in Begum Nusrat Bhutto case and other examples, he talked about a discriminatory treatment meted out to the PPP by the courts.

On the other hand, he said, Nawaz Sharif had attacked the judiciary but remained unpunished.

“You [Nawaz Sharif] had instituted false cases against Benazir Bhutto and remained busy in establishing offshore companies,” he added.

He said there were several scandals against PM Sharif, including the latest Panama Papers scandal.

He said he now carried the party flag and knew he had chosen a thorny path.

Talking about his four points, he alleged that instead of providing protection to the poor, the government was protecting terrorists.

Quoting the Quetta carnage inquiry commission report, he without naming Interior Minister Chudhry Nisar Ali Khan, said that he was issuing threats to the apex court but was not stepping down. “He [interior minister] meets with the leaders of banned organisations and allowing them holding public meetings in Islamabad. I am looking to the Supreme Court to see whether it is equally treating us.”

He said that his party did not want to go to the Supreme Court regarding the Panama Papers controversy prior to the passage of its bill from the National Assembly. “It looks strange that on one hand Nawaz Sharif volunteers himself for accountability but on the other he opposes our bill — this is double standard.”

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2016