Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

[pride]

Good news for Aalsi. I think Mush is going to stay for sometime and not going soon, unless he opt to leave voluntarily.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/02/26/top5.htm

Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

By Masood Haider

NEW YORK, Feb 25: Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari says a coalition of PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-N will be unable to impeach President Pervez Musharraf and, therefore, he will seek a working relationship with the embattled leader.

“The ground reality is that we do not have two-thirds majority in both the houses of parliament” that would be required for a successful impeachment, Mr Zardari told the Wall Street Journal in an interview.

“Our main objective is to work for the smooth transition to democracy,” he said.

The WSJ said that Mr Zardari’s comments were among the most conciliatory to date regarding its intended approach to Mr Musharraf.

The PPP-PML-N pairing has caused concern that the two parties might focus too much on seeking Mr Musharraf’s ouster and not enough on fighting religious militants.

“We want to unify the country, which is facing some very serious challenges,” Mr Zardari said.

“We have to establish democracy and for that we need unity and not confrontation.”

The PPP has not nominated its candidate for the top job of prime minister, but Mr Zardari confirmed that Amin Fahim was the front-runner.

“We will name the candidate when the party is invited to form the government,” he said.Mr Zardari said the PPP government would increase cooperation with the US, adding that Pakistan faced its own threat from extremists.

“We are fighting our own war on terror, rather than the American war on terror,” he said.Mr Zardari said his government wouldn’t talk to the militants, but that it would reach out to the people living in the tribal areas.

“We will take democracy there and political reforms to win the support of the tribesmen.”

Mr Zardari also said that he did not have any intention of becoming prime minister, but would concentrate on party organisation and assist the government.

Though leader of the party, he didn’t seek a seat in parliament in the election. “It is more important to guide the government and the party,” he said.

He also indicated that he might run for a parliamentary seat in a by-election in Ms Bhutto’s constituency in Sindh.

“I will contest the elections if the party decides,” he said

[mirage]

Re: Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

My worst fear. Anyway. Let the cat come out of the bag

[Faisal]

Re: Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

This was reported yesterday by Geo/Ary etc. Todat, Zardari has claimed that comments about "establishing working relationships" are incorrectly attributed to him. Not sure what he actually said, and what he actually meant. Hopefully in the next few days, the situation will become clearer.

[teggy]

Re: Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

Maybe they're saying that because they wanna ease into the power and not become victims to the pre-emptive dissolution of Parliament. US knows they cannot depend on one man Musharraf alone to combat terrorism, hence the dialogue between visiting senators and the victors as well the call by Joe Biden and others for Musharraf to resign and leave with dignity. There's already a talk for Plan B that calls for a Pakistan centric policy and not Musharraf centric one as has been the case thus far.

When there are other options that can brush off the 'American puppet' rhetoric, Musharraf will be left no option but to leave eventually. As the situation develops, you might see a rubber stamp president like there was rubber stamp parliament.

Deja vu all over again.

[Caesar]

Re: Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

How many statements has Asif made during the past 2 months that he refuses to own the very next day!? Uncountable!

It began with him refusing Benazirs autopsy on 27th dec, then denying it 3days later. Then came the shuffling between "I will be PM" ,"No I wont be PM" & "We will see if I will be PM. Then it was "Amin Fahim will be PM" and various versions of "Me, someone else or Fahim will be PM" as well as "I didn't say Amin wont be PM".
And then, it is "We'll work with Musharraf" and other combinations.

[Shamraz_Khan]

Re: Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

Well, AAZ has to pick between Mushrraf and NS. If I was Zaradari (thank God I'm not) I'd go with NS b/c Mushrraf's days are numbered. Beside, most of the PPP leadership is against Mushrraf & if Zaradari goes against party's wishes PPP may split.

[yazdi]

Re: Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

PPP has clearly denied the impression being created that they are ready to work with the president Musharraf…

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\02\27\story_27-2-2008_pg7_51

PPP denies Zardari’s remarks on working with Musharraf

ISLAMABAD:** The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Tuesday denied remarks attributed to its co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari that the PPP was seeking a working relationship with President Pervez Musharraf.** “The PPP co-chairman had merely stated in the interview that opposition parties did not have the requisite constitutional majority in parliament to remove the president. At no stage did he say that the PPP was seeking to work with Musharraf,” said party’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar in a statement. staff report

[Aalsi]

Re: Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

Good news for Aalsi.

It is Great news for the nation. :)

[ehtasab]

Re: Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

@Caesar

How many statements has Asif made during the past 2 months that he refuses to own the very next day!? Uncountable!

It began with him refusing Benazirs autopsy on 27th dec, then denying it 3days later. Then came the shuffling between “I will be PM” ,“No I wont be PM” & "We will see if I will be PM. Then it was “Amin Fahim will be PM” and various versions of “Me, someone else or Fahim will be PM” as well as “I didn’t say Amin wont be PM”.
And then, it is “We’ll work with Musharraf” and other combinations.

you are probably confused by statement some people “thought” he was giving and didn’t pay attentions to his clarifications in other/next-day statements.

[Faisal]

Re: Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

These days a lot of people are wondering why is US so insistent on keeping Mushy in place. While it is clear that the people in Pakistan do not support Mushy. Thing is (and this is a personal opinion), US wants a loyal Yes-Man to be in command in Pakistan. Chances are that any new person who replaces Musharraf will be as much a US Yes-Man as Mushy is, however, from a US perspective, Mushy is a known Yes-Man, while the next guy will be an unknown entity. So they want to avoid that risk, as much as they can.

This is the reason, why US is exerting so much pressure on Zardari etc, to keep Mushy in place. This is the reason why US Ambassador is meeting every politician who is willing to meet her: to gauge how much of a Yes-Man they will be, when time comes. At some point, US will decide, thats its ok to let go of Mushy, as the next in line is "suitable" too, at which time, US will have no scruples to throw Mushy under the bus. Till that time, Zardari and Amin Faheem are forced to repeat that they do not want to upset the apple cart, and working relationship and blah blah blah. Other than to get in power, Zardari has really no love lost for Mushy either. Nawaz obviously hates the guy with passion. PML-Q has no love for the guy either, but they are now stuck in an unenviable position, where they are forced to throw good money after bad, and hence keep on supporting Mushy.

[Saad_UAE]

Re: Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

Mush is going to stay for sometime

Good for Pakistan. Musharraf has to stay and with power. US can't afford a repeat of "Shah downfall of Iran." atleast until Pakistan is stable enough to support democracy.

[teggy]

Re: Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

Good for Pakistan. Musharraf has to stay and with power. US can't afford a repeat of "Shah downfall of Iran." atleast until Pakistan is stable enough to support democracy.

How exactly is Pakistan going to become stable enough to support Democracy when its democratic progress is interrupted every few years by the next "savior" of democracy.

US meddling and manipulating its superiority to make Pakistan take decision against its own interest, don't exactly help either.

A totally decision-indepedant Pakistan will be more of a Democracy, than the 'willing to abide' Pakistan that you see today. Foreign policy has to be formed by Islamabad, not Washington.

[Caesar]

Re: Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

@ehtasab

you are probably confused by statement some people “thought” he was giving and didn’t pay attentions to his clarifications in other/next-day statements.

Confusion can arise once, twice. Either our Pakistani media is so foolish they never question why the ‘sources’ give one statement one day and another the next day, or they are so incompetent they rush with any rumour and run it as headline attributing it to imp figures and never dare question the authenticity or denial when its denied next day as it would cause their own ridicule. Whatever the case, these politicians are seriously deceptive and undecided. How many times can the same thing happen with statements? Either ALL media is dumb, or some of the ‘leaders’ are liars and dodgers.

[Ali_R]

Re: Asif says he will seek to work with Musharraf

@yazdi

PPP has clearly denied the impression being created that they are ready to work with the president Musharraf…

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\02\27\story_27-2-2008_pg7_51

PPP denies Zardari’s remarks on working with Musharraf

ISLAMABAD:** The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Tuesday denied remarks attributed to its co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari that the PPP was seeking a working relationship with President Pervez Musharraf.** “The PPP co-chairman had merely stated in the interview that opposition parties did not have the requisite constitutional majority in parliament to remove the president. At no stage did he say that the PPP was seeking to work with Musharraf,” said party’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar in a statement. staff report

You see how easy It is to spread rumours…use Aalsi