Fourth time's not the charm: Zardari refuses to meet Nawaz Sharif again
Former president foils ex-prime minister’s attempt for the fourth time in three months
November 23, 2017
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairperson and former president Asif Ali Zardari has, yet again, refused to meet former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, foiling the latter’s attempts for a meeting for the fourth time within three months, sources said on Thursday.
Zardari, rejecting once again the possibility of any contact with Nawaz, was quoted by sources as saying that the former prime minister “only remembers democratic promises where his interests are concerned”.
“Nawaz Sharif is responsible for the current political situation of the country. Meeting him or shaking his hand is [out of the question],” the PPP co-chairperson remarked.
Earlier, Nawaz, while speaking to Geo News said that he is willing to have an unconditional dialogue with the PPP supremo. However, Zardari has reiterated his position time and again.
On October 9, the former president had said in an interview that a disqualified individual could not become a party's president in a democratic system.
On August 16, Zardari had said that he had no interest in establishing contact with Nawaz Sharif. The PPP supremo had also stressed he had no interest in becoming part of a 'Grand National Dialogue' proposed earlier by Nawaz Sharif.
Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif had remarked that he had failed to establish contact between the two leaders.
“I tried to contact Zardari many times, even left messages for him with his ADC.. but, Zardari didn’t answer any of my calls,” Asif had said, when he had mentioned contacting Farooq Naek, a PPP lawyer, to take up the Iqama (work permit) case against him.
Asked if there was a chance of PML-N and PPP working together, the minister had said that he could not say anything for sure. “Personally speaking, I think there is no chance of contact between the two parties.”
