ISLAMABAD: In a significant political development, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday called new Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and congratulated him on his appointment.

According to PPP’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar, Mr Zardari, who is in Dubai these days, expressed good wishes to the new army chief. “Former president Asif Ali Zardari telephoned the new army chief and congratulated him on his appointment,” he said.

Mr Zardari went into ‘self-exile’ in Dubai last year after Rangers and the National Accountability Bureau arres­t­ed his close aide Dr Asim Hussain in alleged corruption cases. Before leaving the country, the former president had made a hard-hitting speech accusing the military establishment of overstepping its domain. On Monday, the PPP indicated that he would arrive in the country before Dec 27.

Published in Dawn November 30th, 2016