Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari showed the sign of confusion over options to thwart Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s announcement regarding the dissolution of assemblies as he backed no-trust motion and the organisation of early polls at once.
During an interview with Asma Shirazi, Asif Ali Zardari was seemingly confused over having a clear stance for making efforts to complete the tenure of the assemblies or going into fresh elections. However, he said that the coalition government is in a position to use both options successfully.
To a question, he claimed that the coalition government has numbers in Punjab to bring a no-trust move while the numbers could also be increased. He said that they could not negotiate with Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi anymore. Zardari clarified that he is not annoyed by Pervaiz Elahi, however, distances have increased with the Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) top leader now.
پنجاب میں تبدیلی کا پلان کیا؟
پنجاب میں ہمارے پاس نمبرز ہیں اور ہم ان نمبرز کو اور بھی بڑھا سکتے ہیں۔۔ پرویز الہی سے اب کیا بات کریں گے، ان سے ناراضگی نہیں اب دوریاں ہیں، ہمارے پاس پرویز الہی سے بہت بہتر چوائیسز موجود ہیں۔ آصف علی زرداری#FaislaAapKaWithAsifZardari
Aaj News pic.twitter.com/xCy0TVl7dT— Asma Shirazi (@asmashirazi) December 1, 2022
He claimed that they have better choices than Pervaiz Elahi in Punjab. He said that the coalition government could use the option of bringing no-trust motions in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to complete the tenures of both provincial and national assemblies besides stopping the mass resignation plan of the PTI and its allies.
آصف زرداری کا پنجاب اور خیبر پختونخوا دونوں اسمبلیوں میں تحاریک عدم اعتماد لانے، دونوں صوبوں میں اتحادی حکومت بنانے اور اسمبلیوں کو چلتا رہنے دینے کا پلان۔۔۔
ہم ایسا کریں گے کہ اسمبلیاں رہیں، ان کی حکومت ختم ہو جائے اور استعفے نا دینے پڑیں۔#FaislaAapKaWithAsifZardari
Aaj News pic.twitter.com/lbeTdq3Icp— Asma Shirazi (@asmashirazi) December 1, 2022
On the other hand, Asif Ali Zardari also showed readiness to go to the fresh election phase. He claimed that Nawab of Kalabagh will contest Imran Khan in Mianwali, whereas, he is also ready to contest against Imran Khan. Zardari was of the view that Imran Khan’s popularity was just hype, otherwise, the PTI chief would be able to gather at least 25,000 people in Rawalpindi.
میانوالی میں عمران خان کا مقابلہ نواب آف کالا باغ کریں گے باقی ہر جگہ میں خود عمران خان کا مقابلہ کرنے کو تیار ہوں۔۔۔ سابق صدر آصف زرداری کا عمران خان کو بڑا چیلنج۔
عمران خان پاپولر لیڈر ہوتا تو دوُماہ بعد 25 ہزار بندے راولپنڈی لاتا۔ آصف زرداری#FaislaAapKaWithAsifZardari pic.twitter.com/HfGICrUcVt— Asma Shirazi (@asmashirazi) December 1, 2022
Analysts said Zardari failed to give a clear stance as a veteran politician amid the current political turmoil which showed that the coalition government has not yet finalised any option to stop Imran Khan’s advancement to accomplish his plan for early elections after dissolving the provincial assemblies in Punjab and KP.