Zardari terms arrest of affiliate from hometown ‘an act with a message’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari said that the arrest of his affiliate from his hometown "is an act with a message" for him.

Speaking in an interview on Geo News' show, Capital Talk, the former president said that a message was given to him through the arrest of Ismail Dahri from Nawabshah.

The PPP leader further said that Dahri is a small landowner and works for political canvassing in the area.

"Ismail wouldn’t have been arrested if I had struck a deal with someone. In fact, there would have been arrests on my directions," he said.

Responding to a question, the former president predicted that in the forthcoming polls independent candidates would win the majority of seats in Punjab.

Zardari said that he doesn’t want to make the next government at any cost, however, adding that the political parties aspiring to make the next government would have to take his party on board.

The PPP leader said that he wants Bilawal to get parliamentary experience and he won't have any objection if he becomes the next opposition leader.

"It would be better if I see him becoming prime minister in my life," he said.

Zardari said that there is no constitutional justification to delay the forthcoming polls, adding that the political parties have to strengthen Election Commission of Pakistan.

The former president said that he believes in 'evolution' than 'revolution', and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has the right to criticise him but he himself has closed his doors by saying that he won't sit with him.

The PPP leader said that senior political figure Manzoor Watto is no more part of the PPP as he chose to contest the next polls as an independent candidate.