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Gilani hits out at govt over son’s arrest
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LAHORE: The former premier appears to have fallen out of favour with the top boss of the ruling party.
He is back from the Presidency, to his hometown of Multan.
In an abrupt tirade against his own party’s government, former prime minister and vice-chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Yousaf Raza Gilani, said he decided to leave the President House the day his son was arrested in ephedrine quota case.
Speaking to journalists at his residence in Lahore on Saturday, Gilani said he left the Presidency when things became intolerable for him. He didn’t say anything against President Asif Ali Zardari in particular, but was visibly irked by the government’s inaction over the arrest of his son Ali Musa Gilani, who was later released on bail.
“The government seemed helpless over the arrest of my son,” Gilani said, adding that Ali Musa was arrested while he (Gilani) was living at the Presidency.
The former premier said there were no political prisoners while he was the prime minster, but his son was made a political prisoner right after his departure from the office.
Gilani was still all praise for the president.
“I lived in the President House for four months and I have no complaint against the president,” he said, adding he was thankful to the president for hosting him.
Gilani said he had not informed President Zardari about his departure from the presidency. He said he has no contact with the President House at present, and is spending time with his family.
Media reports, however, add that Gilani is disappointed over the removal of bureaucrats, he had appointed, by Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf. Reports said he had also informed the president about his reservations.
He needs to remind himself all the time that his time has gone and he needs to be happy with anything Zardari and government do. He is a spent force and can harm only his own self.
