By APP,
Islamabad : Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ms Sherry Rehman said on Tuesday that Senator Asif Ali Zardari has emerged as the consensus presidential candidate of almost all political parties of the country. Addressing a media briefing here she said that the PPP presidential candidate has the credentials to serve the cause of the federation as well as strong parliamentary institutions.
Majority of the political parties including Awami National Party, Mutahidda Qaumi Movement, Balochistan parties, individual members of parliament from Muslim League-Q and even Jamaat-e-Islami have announced their support for Asif Ali Zardari’s candidature, she added.
She said that the decision of major political forces to set their differences aside and back a candidate that is the symbol of the federation reflects their commitment to the cause of a strong Pakistan.
Sherry Rehman said that their support is for a candidate who advocates a strong political system. This is an indication of a realization among all political forces that the office of the president should support a parliamentary system that stands for people’s representation.
She said that after the assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto last year, Asif Ali Zardari has shown great political maturity and kept the party united. After December 27, 2007 Asif Zardari fully cooperated in restoration of law and order in the country and raised the slogan of “Pakistan Khappay.” He also announced that PPP does not believe in politics of revenge by saying “democracy is the best revenge”.
To a question the Minister said that Asif Ali Zardari would be different from Musharraf as he would not enter the Presidency by violating the Constitution and he had not created a king’s party. Rather he is the leader of the biggest political force in the country and has support of almost all political forces.
She said that the credit of removing a dictator from the presidency without any violence goes to the PPP and its allies. She denied the reports that National Accountability Bureau was reopening cases against Sharif brothers.
To another question she said that the PPP would not destabilise PML-N government in the Punjab, as the party was part of the alliance there.
To a question,the minister said that “after his election as President,Asif Ali Zardari would work for complete transition towards democracy in the spirit of the Charter of Democracy.
She said that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had given the PPP the vision of reconciliation and the party along with other democratic forces formed consensus governments in Centre and Provinces.
Sherry Rehman said that the people have mandated the political parties to run the government and solve their problems, and it is our responsibility to fulfil our obligations towards our constituents.
Answering a question, she said that Zardari’s election as President would result in stability of the political system, parliamentary sovereignty and strengthening of democracy.