When political parties fight 'Billa' laps up 'milk' of power: Zardari

When political powers are pitted against each other 'Billa' laps up 'milk': Zardari

GARHI KHUDA BUKHS: Referring to former military ruler Gen (Retd) Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman and ex president of the country, Asif Ali Zardari, Friday said that an ensnared ‘Billa’ (tomcat) was begging pardon for his wrongdoings, Geo News reported.

“We never asked that ’Billa’ (Gen (Retd) Musharraf) to return home. Now trapped, he shouldn't be allowed to escape without having to face the music for overthrowing a democratic government and eight years of dictatorship”, said he speaking at a rally held in connection with the sixth assassination anniversary of ex prime minister and his wife Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.

He said that vested interests had always taken advantage of political dissonance in the country time and again.

“When political forces are pitted against each other the 'Billa' (tomcat) laps up the 'milk' of power. Unfortunately this is going on since the creation of Pakistan in 1947”, he added,

He was allusively mentioning how Gen (Retd) Musharraf seized the power, calling it milk metaphorically, through a military coup d'état in 1999.

Saying that it was the government’s test to bring the perpetrator to task, Zardari underscored that this ‘Billa’ should not be spared, come what may.

He made it clear that PPP wanted to back the government against that [extremist] "mindset."

"Extremist elements are systematically subjecting the nation to Talibanization, for which abject poverty is one of the contributing reasons", Zardari said.

He said his prayers were with Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif for his success in bringing about peace in Pakistan but the government alone just could not do each and everything.

"We will have to stand by the government to make its successful, said he.

The, PPP leader, also said that he did not want to resort to “midterm” or “short-term” solutions.

"I do not want a long march in Islamabad. The government will have to bring all the other parties on board in its fight against that militant mindset", said he.