KARACHI: Summing it up as the test case for the “state institutions”, former president Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday asked the judiciary whether former prime minister Imran Khan was “above the law”, warning that if the government failed to establish its writ, “this man would crush every law and institution.”

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader shared his strong-worded thoughts with ministers of Sindh who met him at Bilawal House where they discussed the devastation after recent rains and relief efforts of the provincial government.

In line with his directives to PPP ministers to boost up their efforts for the relief of the people affected by the floods, he referred to the recent activities of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief, calling him “mad for power.”

Though the statement quoting the former president didn’t name any individual or leader, it mentioned all those allegations that the coalition government in the Centre has been leveling against the former prime minister.

“We need to put politics to one side in these challenging times,” said a statement issued by Bilawal House after the meeting.

“We need to focus only on our effort to help out our brothers and sisters. The people of all the four provinces look towards us [for help]. But one man in this country is getting mad for power with each passing day [without power]. This man criticises our armed forces everyday, which are fighting against terror in two provinces and sacrificing their lives for our security.”

After attacking armed forces, police and judiciary, he said, “this man” had threatened a woman magistrate and “dares authorities to arrest me.” Mr. Zardari then indirectly addressed the judiciary and the state institutions leaving a question for them about the fate of Imran Khan.

“The judiciary would have to look into whether this man is above the law,” he said. “Can this man take action against me, Mian Sahab [PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif], my sister [Faryal Talpur] and our daughter Maryam [Nawaz] on the basis of fake cases [as [prime minister] but can crush every law under his feet when it comes to course of law against him? The institutions and the government would have to establish their writ, otherwise the law, constitution and institutions would become prey to his madness.”

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2022