The PPP has announced its anti-government ‘long march’ for Feb. 27. Do you see the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) joining hands in the PPP’s efforts to dislodge the government or your party participating in their planned long march of March 23?
QZK: Both these long marches are against Imran Khan’s government and aimed at getting rid of it. The PDM can carry on with its march, but the PPP will start its march on Feb. 27 as we want to remove this government at the earliest, without any delays. The longer this government stays in power, the more the country and its economy will suffer. Having said that, we wish the PDM best of luck… If they ask us about changing the date (of our march), it can be discussed.
Can the PPP rejoin PDM?
QZK: We were the founders of the PDM, and forming alliances is the forte of the PPP’s politics. We only left the PDM due to the insult we (PPP) and the ANP (Awami National Party) faced at the hands of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, whose behavior was inappropriate. He issued show cause notices to us, though this wasn’t his domain. We left the PDM in protest because nothing is more important than self-respect. But the time has proved that whatever PPP suggested from the PDM platform — be it participating in the by-polls, senate elections or carrying out rallies and conducting political jalsas – they all were beneficial for the opposition. If they have had adopted our policy brought a no-confidence motion in Punjab as well as Senate and the National Assembly, we would have managed to oust this incompetent government long time ago — that too in a constitutional manner. However, at that time the PML-N sabotaged the unity of the PDM as they were adamant on resigning from the assemblies. I ask them why they haven’t resigned up till now? Having said that, we are still ready to support them and the other opposition parties in bringing the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan. As far as rejoining the PDM is concerned, we may not be with them outside the parliament, but inside the house we are completely in touch with the Leader of the Opposition, Shehbaz Sharif, and extend all our support on public and national issues.
Are you foreseeing early elections or an in-house change?
QZK: Well, this government should be sent packing at the earliest. It should be sent home today instead tomorrow as it has failed to bring the promised change. It even failed to address the basic issues of the masses, who are being hit by one crisis after another — be it sugar or flour crisis, rising inflation, hike in the prices of medicines, fertilizer, and petroleum. We should get rid of the government on a war-footing in a democratic manner and new elections should be held. We should continue our struggle for the formation of such a government which could take all the stakeholders on board, while addressing the national and public issues — something that the PPP has always done. We always bring all stakeholders onboard whether it’s for the 18th amendment or the NFC award, unlike the Imran Khan-led PTI government, which only protects his personal interests and those of his cronies. Look how they bulldozed bills concerning the masses in the parliament, without taking the opposition or other stakeholders onboard, which is against all democratic norms.
You accuse the PTI of incompetence, but there are many analysts who say that the PPP’s government in Sindh is the most incompetent. What’s your take?
QZK: You and I will not decide this. It’s the people who will decide whether PPP’s Sindh government is incompetent or not. If they feel the same, as you have mentioned, they will not vote for us in the elections. But if it is just the propaganda in the media to defame us, then we would again emerge victorious from Sindh in the next elections. As far as the PTI’s incompetence is concerned, the public vote and opinion is against them now and the masses have rejected them in the recent local government elections in the KP. In 11 by-polls in different parts of the country as well as in the Senate elections they faced defeat. So ultimately in democracies, it is the masses who decide which government is competent and which is not.
White collar crimes are hard to prove. Though no corruption allegations have been proved against former president Asif Ali Zardari, that doesn’t mean he isn’t involved in corruption?
QZK: Well, in any case it has to be proved in the court of law. What are the allegations against Asif Ali Zardari? His alleged Benami properties? But if the charges aren’t proved against him, then he is innocent. As far as accusing someone is concerned, that is the easiest thing. Even Imran Khan is accused by Akbar S Babar of corruption and vice versa. In history, we have the example of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who was wrongly accused too… Asif Ali Zardari or any other person cannot be punished or convicted on someone’s wish. The judicial system across the globe runs on evidence. If there is no evidence against Zardari Sahab, then we have to admit that he is innocent. He has been a constant target and subjected to one of history’s most vicious character assassination campaigns in the media. But nothing was proved against him.
Your party stands at a distant third spot in electoral politics if we speak about Punjab. Over the years the PPP’s position and vote bank has eroded in Punjab. With only Sindh being your stronghold, how do you propose motivating the masses to participate in the Feb. 27 long march?
QZK: Ups and downs are part of the game, but let me tell you categorically that we didn’t move to the third place in Punjab due to people’s rejection in the last decade or so. Many of our people were threatened to leave the PPP in the name of NAB inquiries, fake cases… they were forced to join the PTI and other political parties and thus Imran Khan’s illusion was created.
Even the votes Imran Khan managed to get in Punjab were anti-Nawaz votes. We waited for the right time and continued the struggle to strengthen the PPP in Punjab. Meanwhile, the fake illusion of Imran Khan started to fade and cracks within the PML-N started widening. People have realised that these parties failed to deliver and they know now that the PPP is the alternative force which could address their problems. That’s why our performance improved in the recent by-polls in Punjab. Even when the PTI government was at its peak, we did not leave the field open and conducted successful political gatherings across Punjab… I am sure that in the next elections, people will vote for us in Punjab and the anti-Nawaz vote will also be in the PPP’s favour. As far as long march is concerned, people will not come out to place Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in power, but they will come out to get rid of this incompetent government which has made their miserable. We have a strong base in Sindh, but Punjab is our home too.
Will the opposition first go for a no-confidence motion against CM Punjab Usman Buzdar or the PM?
QZK: Well, earlier when the PPP was part of the PDM, we wanted to start the move from Punjab. But now, the PPP alone cannot decide this. The decision whether to bring a no-confidence motion first against the premier, Chief Minister, or speaker would be taken by all the parties after deliberations.
Defence Minister Pervez Khattak’s brother Liaquat Khattak and nephew Ahad Khattak have joined the PPP in KP, while other notable leaders from Balochistan including Gen (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch and Sardar Sanaullah Zehri are also in your ranks now. Is the PPP in touch with other notable and traditional constituency politicians as well?
QZK: Yes, a number of prominent electable politicians are in touch with our leadership from across the country. By the time the next elections draw closer, they will announce joining our party. Usually, the electable politicians and sitting MNAs or MPAs change parties when the elections are near and after receiving the development funds from the party in power… So, who knows, the same may happen this time again.
Many political analysts claim that Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan soon. Do you see this happening in 2022?
QZK: Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan whenever he is fit to travel, or when his daughter and PML-N Vice President will get relief from Islamabad’s accountability courts or the next general elections are announced. That is my assessment.
DG ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar categorically rejected the impression that there was a ‘deal’ in the offing with Nawaz Sharif and said that anyone talking about it should be asked to name the source. Is there any evidence that someone in the establishment really wanted to strike a deal with Nawaz?
QZK: This is not the first time that the DG ISPR has said this, and we welcome his statement. But the need of the hour is that they should practically demonstrate this too. Measures should be put in place to make the masses believe that there is no involvement of the military establishment in the country’s politics. But unfortunately, nobody could deny the fact that our country’s politics has been ruled by the establishment directly for years in the past. How governments were changed, how they were brought into power. All of this is on the record and books have been written about it.
As far as the deal is concerned, these news stories are making rounds in the media. If the PPP has talked about the deal, then I am responsible and I should give details about it. If the PML-N is talking about the deal then it should disclose who is behind it. But if the people belonging to the treasury benches are saying this, then DG ISPR should ask the PTI leaders who is striking a deal and with whom. The ISPR should ask Fawad Chaudhry about the names of those four PML-N leaders, who allegedly suggested a ‘minus Nawaz formula’. Moreover, the interior minister, who claims that he is the actual spokesperson of the real ‘powerhouse’ of Pakistan, should be asked about it. Sheikh Rasheed recently stated that the opposition wants the hand of mercy on their heads instead of it being on the head of PM Imran Khan. He further said that the hand may well end up on the necks of the opposition. What does this statement mean? Both you and I know it very well.
It is dangerous that the information and the interior ministers are making such statements. But let me tell you, it is not the reality. What we have witnessed during the three-and-a-half-years tenure of the PTI government is that whenever public opinion is turning against them, the PTI comes up with such statements to divert the attention of people from real issues affecting their lives.
Today, there is unprecedented inflation and unemployment but these ministers are making statements about the ‘deal’ and managed to divert the attention because no TV channel is talking about the issues. The establishment is saying that there is no deal, the PML-N is saying that they haven’t made any deal. The DG ISPR or the concerned authorities should ask the government why they are saying this and issue a clarification or else get ready to face embarrassment. If the air isn’t cleared, it means that on one hand the government is deflecting the public debate from the real issues and on the other defaming the establishment.
There are rumors that disgruntled PTI leader Jahangir Tareen and his group is all set to join the PPP before the next general elections.
QZK: Let’s put it this way that even if I am aware of this development, I will not speak to you about this.
Do you think the next elections could be held using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)?
QZK: The next elections will not be held using EVMs and they should not be held using EVMs. Even the Election Commission of Pakistan has raised concerns about EVMs time and again and expressed fears that the machines may be hacked or get jammed.
It is incomprehensible to conduct the general elections through EVM without having the experience to manage these machines. Let me say categorically, that it is the constitutional responsibility of the government to review the objections of the Election Commission and the Opposition.
What is the PPP’s stance about the State Bank of Pakistan Amendment Bill and the mini-budget?
QZK: These legislations will compromise Pakistan’s economic sovereignty. The government passed this mini-budget on the directives of the International Monetary Fund and slapped enormous taxes on basic items of daily necessities to the tune of 17%. After putting the economy on the ventilator due to their incompetence and disastrous policies, this government is now handing Pakistan’s economy to the IMF. The government will now tax essential items such as food and raw materials used for producing medicines. Baby milk, bread, agricultural equipment, seeds, and hundreds of other necessities are luxury items that are being taxed heavily. After setting a record of inflation, the government is propagating a false narrative that Pakistan remains cheaper than the other regional countries. They are threatening the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable people as inflation has already skyrocketed to a whopping 12.3%. The manner in which this regressive and dangerous bill has been bulldozed through the National Assembly marks a black day in Pakistan’s history. There is no political party in the world that puts the demands of an international financial institution over the lives of its own people. That is why the PTI has no moral or democratic legitimacy to rule Pakistan.
