President Asif Ali Zardari. Photo: File
LAHORE:
President Asif Ali Zardari lashed out at the jailed PTI founder for the third time in four days, saying that if Imran Khan was not prepared to serve time in jail, he should not have entered politics as “serving time requires honour.”
Addressing a gathering in Vehari on Tuesday, Zardari, without mentioning Imran Khan, said he should have pursued charity work or opened cricket clubs and stuck to one profession if he was not ready to face the rigors of prison.
The President was apparently referring to recent efforts by the PTI and opposition parties to secure Imran’s transfer to a hospital and release in view of his deteriorating vision in his right eye. Imran has been detained in Adiala Jail since September 2023.
Referring to his own imprisonment, Zardari said that when he was released, his son Bilawal – whom he had abandoned as a small boy – had grown taller than him. “Immediately after securing my release from prison, I had a heart attack,” he said.
Most of the questions during the interaction revolved around PTI, which is in hot water since the ouster of Imran Khan’s government in April 2022.
Zardari claimed that Imran Khan had not headed the government but rather the then DG ISI, Faiz [Hameed]who he claimed led the country.
“What would he know about running the country?” he remarked. When asked about ties between the PPP and the PML-N, Zardari said the alliance was formed out of concern for the country, suggesting that otherwise an aggressive ideology would have prevailed.
Zardari criticized the PTI-led government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, saying it had done nothing for the province. He noticed that only one person knew how to deliver daily sermons.
Referring indirectly to Imran Khan’s sons expressing concern over denied meetings, he said that after the country had been free of his “sermons” for the past year and a half, his sons had started complaining that they were not allowed to meet him. He added that Imran Khan’s tenure had pushed the country back decades.
Regarding Kashmir, the president reiterated that it was an integral part of Pakistan, calling it the country’s jugular vein and declaring: “No Kashmir, no Pakistan.” He said the country was blessed in every way but lacked continuity.
Two PPP leaders, when asked about the president’s latest stance – which appears to diverge from the party’s longstanding stance of championing human rights – said he was seeking to improve the party’s future prospects by aligning with the corridors of power.
“The PPP has a political future to secure, which necessitates such positions,” said an official, adding that the party has moved from resistance and appeasement to compromise given the current situation.
Several managers were contacted for comment but were unavailable. Zardari, who arrived in Lahore after a tour of Punjab, also chaired a meeting of PPP’s local and provincial leadership at Bilawal House and discussed internal party matters.
The party’s divisional and district chairmen, members of the PPP Central Punjab Executive Committee and newly appointed officials from the central Punjab districts attended the meeting
In his remarks, the president emphasized the importance of political dialogue and unity. He said democratic engagement is the strongest instrument for justice, national cohesion and progress.
