Asif Zardari fully supports BRI, CPEC

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Former President Asif Ali Zardari, has asserted that China was a true friend of Pakistan, having provided selfless help to Pakistan's economic development and social progress over the years.

"The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), proposed by President Xi Jinping is far-sighted. The construction of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) promotes Pakistan’s development and prosperity and improves people’s livelihood,” the former President expressed these views while meeting with the Chinese Ambassador, Yao Jing, at Islamabad on September 10.

“The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) firmly supports the BRI as well as the CPEC. Our party hopes to strengthen the exchange of experience in party governance with the Communist Party of China and promote the continuous development of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic partnership,” Asif Zardari remarked. 

Earlier the former President and co-chairman of the PPP, Asif Ali Zardari, alongwith the Vice Chairman of the Senate, Saleem Mandviwala, and Senator Sherry Rahman, upon arrival at the Chinese embassy in Islamabad, were warmly welcomed by Ambassador Yao Jing and Minister Counselor Pang Chunxue. 

Ambassador Yao recalled that the PPP and the Bhutto family were old and good friends of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people, having firmly supported the development of China-Pakistan relations for a long time. 

“China attaches great importance to the traditional friendship with the People's Party and is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with it to promote the comprehensive and in-depth development of the relations between the two parties and the two countries,” he added.

Political maestro Asif Ali Zardari turns 65

By Tanzeel Rauf Farooqui

(Pakistan News & Features Services) 

Asif Ali Zardari, a man of multiple reputations, has turned 65 on July 26. Popularly known as the master of reconciliation, the former President of Pakistan is acclaimed to be a political maestro. 

Born to Hakim Ali Zardari and Bilquis Sultana Zardari in a notable and prominent tribe on July 26, 1955, Asif Zardari had a resourceful background. His political rise, however, came after he married Benazir Bhutto, the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, on December 18, 1987. 

Elections were held the following year and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) came to power with Benazir Bhutto becoming the first women Prime Minister in Islamic world. 

Upon the dismissal of the PPP-led government, Asif Zardari fell prey to political vindication and faced multiple and prolonged arrests starting in October 1990. He, however, was elected as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan in the same month of October 1990. 

Despite securing bail, he was not allowed to be released from prison by the government and had to wait until February 1993 before he was released. Later he was acquitted of all charges. 

He joined the cabinet of the caretaker government in April 1993, and after the general elections that year, Benazir Bhutto’s PPP once again rose to the pinnacle of power. 

Controversies awaited the second government of the PPP as well with the Bhutto family divided between Benazir Bhutto and her brother Mir Murtaza Bhutto, who was being supported by their mother, Begum Nusrat Bhutto. 

Following the murder of Murtaza Bhutto in a shootout, the government was dismissed and Asif Zardari was arrested again in November 1996. 

Despite the corruption charges and various scandals his popularity graph continued rising and he was elected to the Senate of Pakistan in March 1997. 

While remaining incarcerated, he suffered an alleged suicide attempt in May 1999 and had to be shifted to the hospital from Karachi’s Central Jail. 

After prolonged imprisonment before completion of any trial, he was released on bail in November 2004 but was shortly re-arrested and placed under a short term of house arrest before he was allowed to leave for exile. 

A master of reconciliation as he was to become, he managed to strike a deal with the then President General Pervez Musharraf, known as the National Reconciliation Order (NRO) which was drafted in October 2007, through which he managed to waive all the charges leveled against himself and Benazir Bhutto. 

As a result of the NRO, Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan after her exile and was unfortunately assassinated on December 27, 2007. 

Carrying the legacy, Asif Zardari came to the forefront and alleged that his spouse was assassinated due to the lack of security provided by the government. 

Elections were held in 2008 and the PPP returned to power after a gap of 12 years. Upon the resignation of General Pervez Musharraf, Asif Zardari was elected as the new President of Pakistan and he went on to complete his term of five years, as did the PPP government, unlike the previous two occasions when they were shown the door in about a couple of years only. 

Asif Zardari silenced his critics in his role as head of the state as he proved himself to be an accomplished statesman. He rose to the occasion much to the dismay of his opponents who had thought of him to be not fit for the job. He conducted various successful visits around the world and was welcomed by his counterparts. 

The control which he had over his party was commendable, as he, while being the President, discarded the President’s power to dismiss the government through the celebrated Eighteenth (18th) Amendment, a power which was arguably misused by many Presidents in the past and he became the pilot who brought Pakistan back on route to the democratic principles. 

He’s also credited to be the leader who brought the mighty China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project to Pakistan, which has been consolidated by the successive governments since then. 

The PPP sat in the opposition after losing the 2013 elections to the Pakistan Muslim League, headed by Mian Nawaz Sharif, while the Asif Zardari-led PPP was overwhelmed by the cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI). 

Asif Zardari was arrested in a fake bank accounts case, which the PPP alleged, was registered by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) due to the pressure of the government. He was nominated as an accused and was arrested on June 10, 2019 by the NAB and stayed behind bars until he was granted bail on December 11, 2019. 

Regarded as one of the most unpredictable politicians that Pakistan has ever produced, Asif Zardari has faced imprisonment for a period of almost fourteen (14) years and his health has deteriorated to a substantial degree. 

He is still regarded as a major player in the politics of Pakistan, the master of reconciliation, without any doubt. He is one of the few politicians having shown that he is not afraid of incarceration and has, on multiple occasions, stated that prison is his second home. 

The ever-smiling, witty politician cannot be understood by everyone as he has developed a personality that is indeed distinct to his political rivals. The political slogan of the PPP that is “Ek Zardari sub pe bhaari” does in both letter and spirit suit this unique politician.

Senator Imamuddin Shouqeen fetes Nawabshah journalists

By Rashid Zia Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Former President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, and the Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari remain eager for the continued the fast development of Sindh, having directed PPP's elected representatives to expand the pace of ongoing projects. 

This was stated by PPP Senator Malik Imamuddin Shouqeen while congratulating newly elected office-bearers of the Nawabshah Union of Journalists (NUJ). 

He observed that the fruits of development programmes would soon start reaching the doorsteps of the masses. 

The Senator remarked that as per law, 65% of the oil and gas output from Sindh was to be utilized by Sindh while the remaining 35% was to be used by other provinces with Sindh to be having first right for utilization of energy sources produced in the province. 

"Serving the poor people of Sindh is the motto of PPP,” he said adding that merit would be the sole criterion for employment to jobless youth. 

He stated that besides members of Malik Community, he was keen to see that all communities living in Sindh prosper with special focus on our youth who were the real assets. 

He said that their capabilities would be explored for development and prosperity of Sindh and country as a whole. 

On the occasion President Nawabshah Union of Journalists, Muhammad Anwar Shaikh thanked the guest of honour Senator Imamuddin Shouqeen, Malik Iqbal Bhatti, Abdul Wahab and others. 

The Senator garlanded the NUJ President, Anwar Shaikh, and the General Secretary Arshad Ali Shaikh, Vice President Muhammad Arshad Munir, Joint Secretary Muhammad Aslam Azmi, Coordination Secretary Malik Muhammad Shafique and other elected office-bearers and wished them every success in the discharge of their professional responsibilities.

Asif Zardari’s sudden visit to Nawabshah

By Rashid Zia Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Asif Ali Zardari, a former President of Pakistan and a member of the National Assembly from Nawabshah, undertook a sudden and unplanned visit of his home city the other day. 

He could not hide his displeasure over the deteriorating conditions of the city and urged for improvement in the various sectors to bring about relief for the inhabitants of Nawabshah. 

Without informing the local administration and avoiding protocol, Asif Ali Zardari accompanied by only personal staff, went around various city areas and bazaars. 

His sudden visit awakened the officials of Municipal Committee, Public Health and other government departments. 

Soon after his departure, Deputy Commissioner immediately convened a meeting of district departments to launch anti mosquito, anti encroachment, anti-pye dog campaign, activate sewerage and water supply projects and renewed street lights and speedy disposal of waste and garbage. 

Additional Commissioner Shaheed Benazirabad Muhammad Yousuf Abbasi, ADC Waseem Hamid, AC Nawabshah Nabeel Sindhu, AC Sakrand Saleem Jatoi, Deputy Director Local Government Abdul Sattar Rathore, Chief Municipal Officer, Town Committee officers Daulatpur, Qazi Ahmed, Sakrand Shahpur Jahania, Bucheri, Bandhi and other related officials attended the meeting.

Zardari, Altaf on the same page against militancy

President Asif Ali Zardari and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain held an important meeting at Churchill Hotel in London on Sunday.
During the meeting, both the leaders discussed country’s security situation in general and of Karachi in particular. On the occasion, Altaf Hussain expressed his party’s reservations regarding some police officers of Sindh following violence in Karachi, a private TV channel, quoting sources close to the meeting, said.
Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Altaf Hussain said Talibanisation is a threat to Pakistan and it’s a conspiracy to break up the country. “We have to rise above party politics and join hands to meet this challenge,” he added.
He said there was a consensus in the meeting that militancy will be elimiated at every cost. He said law-enforcement agencies are working to crush Talibanisation. He regretted that Taliban had not surrendered their arms after the implementation of Nizam-e-Adl in Swat Valley.
He said situation in Balochistan is very critical. “We have to demonstrate unity to help our Balochi brethren.”
Responding to a question, Altaf said, “Nawaz Sharif should also be taken on board. I respect Nawaz Sharif’s reservations but the country at the moment needs unity and the PML-N Chief should support the government."
According to sources, CCPO Karachi Waseem Ahmed has also arrived in London.
Sensing the gravity of the challenges the country is currently confronted with, President Zardari and Altaf Hussain renewed their commitment to jointly take the country out of the crisis.