World | Pakistan
West backs Zardari for president - Imran Khan
Western powers want to see Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari become president because he is proving his loyalty to the United States, Imran Khan, famous cricketer-turned-politician, said.
- By Ashfaq Ahmed, Chief Reporter
- Published: 23:30 August 31, 2008
- Image Credit: Ashfaq Ahmed/Gulf News
- Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan says that the more the army uses fire power and kills civilians as part of the collateral damage in the bombings, the more the Taliban gain in strength.
Islamabad: Western powers want to see Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari become president because he is proving his loyalty to the United States, Imran Khan, famous cricketer-turned-politician, said.
"Americans dumped their former ally Pervez Musharraf because Zardari has proved his credentials and the Swiss court also dropped money laundering case against him and de-froze his 16 million Euros [Dh86 million] only after US pressure," Khan alleged and also questioned the way the Swiss authorities handled the corruption charges against Zardari.
"Zardari should immediately declare his assets and the means [through which] he made them before contesting the presidential election, because there is a general perception that he made wealth beyond his means," Khan told Gulf News in an exclusive interview at his mansion atop a hill in the posh Bani Gala area in Islamabad.
Postponement
He demanded the Election Commissioner ensure that presidential polls are postponed until charges against Zardari are cleared.
"Our party has decided to hold protest demonstration in front of the parliament against presidential elections and for the restoration of judges, including chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.
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Khan, 56, was highly critical of Zardari and held him responsible for making the political and economic crises in the country worse, and for the military operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan.
Khan is the chief of his political party, Tehrik-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice). He is not a member of parliament because his party boycotted the last general elections, demanding that the deposed judges be restored before the general elections. He also challenged the eligibility of former president Pervez Musharraf to hold the top post in the country.
"Zardari will not have the moral authority to hold the top position in the country because he is a controversial figure and will be questioned on the issues of mental health and his wealth time and again," he added.
Khan said that the northern areas of Pakistan were facing a massive humanitarian crisis because about half a million people from Bajaur had been displaced and had migrated to other areas due to the bombing raids in the ongoing military operation in the area.
Asked about joining hands with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after Nawaz Sharif quit the ruling coalition, he said that he would join all those who espouse the cause of the reinstatement of the judiciary.
Khan defended his decision to boycott the elections along with some other political parties, including the largest religious political party Jamaat-e-Islami. "I don't regret my decision because thank God I am not party to this dummy parliament with a dummy prime minister as all the decisions are being made from Zardari House," he added.
To a question about military operations in the tribal areas, Khan said that it was just making the situation worse and strengthening the Taliban. "All evidence suggests that the more they use fire power and kill civilians as part of the collateral damage in the bombings, the more strength the Taliban gain," he noted.
After the military operations and killings, a new phenomena of radicalisation has emerged in Pakistan. "What they call Talibanisation is actually radicalisation and is happening because innocent people are being killed. In addition to the Taliban, criminal gangs are also involved in the resistance against the army whereas local tribal people are also joining them seeking revenge for the killings of their near and dear ones in military operations and bombing."
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