Nawaz Sharif can contact Zardari through Khursheed Shah, says Ahsan

ISLAMABAD: As dark cloud still hover above embattled prime minister Nawaz Sharif had expressed desire to meet with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

However, PPP leader Senator Aitzaz Ahsan has said that the doors of communication are open, and that Nawaz Sharif can contact Zardari through Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah.

“Nawaz Sharif had contacted Khursheed Shah saying that he would do anything to meet Zardari,” said Ahsan while appearing on ARY News show ‘Power Play’.

When asked by host Arshad Sharif why the former premier did not contact him as he needs help in the Senate unlike the National Assembly where they have a majority, Aitzaz said that maybe he is considered a ‘hardliner’ and Khursheed Shah was more straightforward.

However, he was adamant that Khursheed Shah will not compromise on principles nor will make any decision against the party. He said it was wrongly portrayed that the PPP was a friendly opposition, but rather it was a rational opposition. “The real opposition is the rational opposition,” he said.

Nawaz Sharif shouldn’t expect PPP to save him

Ahsan said that Nawaz Sharif should not expect that the PPP will safe him, as he cannot be trusted. He said that Sharif has a track record of conspiring against their party.

“Nawaz Sharif should not expect that we will hold his arm. We saved him in 2014 but then see what he did with us,” he said adding that Sharif might escape from the back alley.

He said Sharif is now remembering the Charter of Democracy which was signed between the two parties, but instead took several decisions unilaterally.

This includes participating in the long-march for restoration of former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, and taking part in presidential elections during retired General Musharraf’s era.

Furthermore, he said Sharif started a campaign against former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gillani and gave statements against their party in the Memogate scandal.

“If he says he is the prime minister, then he should be as holy as the prime minister,” said Ahsan adding that it was not the PPP who conspired against him or brought the Panama Leaks scandal.