Give Imran Khan's government 'another six months', says Zardari

Published January 29, 2019
Former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari claims the combined opposition can dislodge the PTI govt in both the centre and in Punjab. — File photo
Former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari claims the combined opposition can dislodge the PTI govt in both the centre and in Punjab. — File photo

PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has said he would give Prime Minister Imran Khan's government another six months, following which he suggested that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led (PTI) administration would collapse.

Speaking during an interview on 92 News TV show 'Ho Kya Raha Hai' on Monday, the former president confidently said the combined opposition could dislodge the PTI government at both the federal and Punjab provincial levels if it so desires.

"Give at least six more months to him," Zardari replied when he was asked by host Arif Nizami if he was making "chess moves" to bring down Prime Minister Khan.

Courtesy: 92 News

When reminded that the premier has already completed nearly six months in office, the PPP leader emphasised he meant "another six months".

Thus the talk of the PTI government completing its five-year tenure is a far cry from the anticipated future, Zardari said, adding that he believed Khan lacked "deliverance" capacity.

Asked if the removal of Khan's government would be better for the country, Zardari said the country had to evolve through crises by "pushing [and] pulling all sorts of ways".

He said whenever they wanted to send the prime minister home it would be a "positive, not a negative", and when prompted, stressed that such a move would "obviously" be undertaken through democratic means.

Zardari said Prime Minister Khan had made promises to many of his friends which he would not be able to fulfil. One such promise cited by him was allegedly made by the premier to Balochistan National Party (BNP-M) president Sardar Akhtar Mengal regarding the issue of missing persons.

The former president was asked about the possibility of a forward bloc being formed in Punjab, to which he replied that while it could be done, there was "no rush".

Responding to another question, Zardari said it was a fact that the PPP and PML-N had jointly appointed retired Justice Javed Iqbal as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman, but that they had done so for him to "provide justice".

"[As opposed to] not for victimisation?" the host asked the PPP co-chairman, who smiled in the affirmative.

Alleging that NAB was getting politicised, Zardari said there was "room to work" and bring improvements in the accountability watchdog's functioning.

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