KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan on Saturday ruled out the possibility of any alliance with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for upcoming Senate elections while describing PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari as “a certified criminal who could never be trusted” for partnership for any political gains.

Replying to queries during his brief media talk outside Quaid-i-Azam International Airport minutes after his arrival, Imran Khan referred to becoming part of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s protest rally in Lahore with the PPP as “only to show solidarity with the victims of the 2014 Model Town incident”.

He added that it should not be taken as a sign of any flexibility in his stance against the “parties of status quo”.

“God forbid, I can never stand with Asif Ali Zardari,” he replied to a question about the possibility of his party’s alliance with the PPP for Senate election after “the two came close” during the Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri-led recent rally in Lahore.

“I am here in Karachi to show solidarity with the families of two young men who were killed by the police. The same spirit we opted while deciding to join the Lahore rally to show support for justice for Model Town victims. The nation stands behind the families of those victims and wants justice. It doesn’t mean that we are allying with the Zardari’s party. He’s a certified criminal. There is no difference between Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari.”

He said one “should not even imagine” that he or his party would compromise with those forces who had maintained status quo in the country.

He accused the PPP leadership and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz of looting the national exchequer; for that they should be isolated not provided support by any alliance.

“There can be a difference of modus operandi between Sharif brothers and Zardari,” said the PTI chief.

“But there is no difference between their targets and objectives. They come to power for corruption. They both are involved in money laundering and using power to build their empire and wealth. I had formed the party against such people and my struggles are still on. We are not going to give up that struggle.”

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2018