ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People Party (PPP) Infor­mation Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira came forward on Sunday to defend the party’s Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari against allegations of corruption being levelled by Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, a former home minister of Sindh and leader of the party.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Mr Kaira termed Dr Mirza’s allegations baseless. He advised Dr Mirza to provide evidence against Mr Zardari to the National Accountability Bureau ins­tead of resorting to his media trial.

Also read: Police register FIRs against Zulfiqar Mirza, supporters for Badin unrest

Dr Mirza has been levelling serious allegations against Mr Zardari for several months, but it is for the first time that PPP’s information secretary has responded to them. Several other leaders of the party have been retaliating against Dr Mirza’s outbursts though.

In response to Dr Mirza’s allegation that the PPP lea­der and former president had been involved in im­­moral and criminal activities,

Mr Kaira said: “If Mr Zardari was involved in any immoral activity, then being his closest friend Mr Mirza was part and parcel of it. If the PPP chief has committed any criminal offence, Mr Mirza should prove it in the court of law.”

He claimed that different courts had exonerated Mr Zardari in the cases being mentioned by Dr Mirza in his statements.

“Such cases against Mr Zardari were taken up by courts during Nawaz Sharif’s previous government and Musharraf regime, but nothing came out of them and the PPP co-chairman was declared innocent.”

By targeting its leader, Dr Mirza was demonstrating opposition to the PPP, he said and added that the party could not afford such a rift within its ranks.

Mr Kaira accused the media of tarnishing the image of PPP and its co-chairman by highlighting Dr Mirza’s statements.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2015

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