LAHORE – In an obvious reference to the country’s establishment, PPPsupremo Asif Ali Zardari has said that “Angles” will play a significantrole in the coming elections – which he believes will throw a hungparliament, thereby paving the way for a government of national consensus.
PPP de-facto chief is also apprehensive of new religious parties’participation in the July 25 polls which he considers would provedisastrous for the country.
And if no single party is in a position to form government after the polls,Zardari is willing to support the PML-N – though on his own terms this time.
The former president spoke his mind in a panel interview with The Nationand Nawa-i-Waqt at Bilawal House Lahore Sunday evening. The questionersincluded The Nation Editor Salim Bokhari, Nawa-i-Waqt Deputy Chief ReporterSyed Shoaib-ud-Din Ahmad and this scribe.
“ROs (Returning Officers) had manoeuvred the elections in 2013 and I hadtherefore dubbed those as ROs’ elections. Now, ‘Angles’ are going to assumethe same [role] in 2018 elections,” he said, casting suspicions on thefairness of the polls.
He informed the interviewers that he had called a party meeting at BilawalHouse Lahore on Tuesday (tomorrow) to chalk out party’s strategy toconfront the ‘ongoing pre-poll rigging’ by the invisible forces.
“The meeting would ponder over complaints [of pre-poll rigging] coming from[all] the four provinces and then send a note to the Election Commission,”he said.
Asif Ali Zardari said his party had already written a letter to the ECPwith the complaint that present FIA DG should be removed since his brotherwas contesting the elections.
On Shehbaz Sharif’s recent statement that no party could resolve country’sproblems single-handedly and that a national government should be formedafter the polls, PPP leader replied that actually he [Zardari] was thefirst who had floated this idea after the 2013 elections.
“But I think Shehbaz Sharif is saying so in anticipation of his party’spoor performance in the coming elections. His party would not be able toget the required number to form government on its own,” he added.
PPP leader was confident that no party will be able to form the governmentsingle-handedly after the polls. “It has to be a collation government”, hestressed.
Asked if the PPP would extend a lending hand to PML-N to form government,he replied in affirmative but hurried to add that this time around PPPwould set its own terms and condition in exchange for cooperation.
“I am a politician and cannot erect walls to stay away from the politicalforces. If Shehbaz comes to me, he would have to support me this time,”Zardari observed.