Asif Zardari, Nawaz Sharif to meet tomorrow
Commentators say Zardari's meeting with Nawaz Sharif is vital especially in 'bitter situation'.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Former president Asif Ali Zardari will meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif tomorrow (Wednesday) to show solidarity and unity with Nawaz government and to defend democracy against potential threats, Dunya News reported.
According to commentators, Zardari’s meeting with Nawaz Sharif is vital especially in the bitter situation created after Army Chief’s statement.
Commentators also say that largest opposition party’s co-chairman meeting Nawaz Sharif sends a strong pro-democracy message.
Opposition leader and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Khurshid Shah, Raza Rabbani and Murad Ali Shah will also participate in the meeting.
According to Dunya News sources, the meeting will address issues like potential threats to democracy and protection of democratic institutions of the country. The leaders will also deliberate to find a way to unite all democratic forces on one platform.
Discussion on Protection of Pakistan bill and other important political matters will also be part of discussion.
The ‘bitterness’:
Army Chief while responding to criticism on armed forces had said last week that Pakistan Army will do what it has to, to preserve its dignity and institutional pride.
“While our country is faced with multiple internal and external challenges, Pakistan Army upholds the sanctity of all institutions and will resolutely preserve its own dignity and institutional pride,” the COAS said while responding to the concerns of soldiers on undue criticism of the institution in recent days, as quoted by military public relations institution Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The response was to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s statement that the Parliament is supreme institution and no institution should violate sanctity of other one.
Addressing during the session of the National Assembly on April 9, he said every institution protects its dignity and its personnel, but Parliament is the supreme institution of the country.
Khawaja Asif’s controversial speech targeting army at the floor of National Assembly in 2006 has also been making rounds on TV and internet media. He had lamented at army for demanding an increase in the military budget and for toppling of Nawaz’s government by the then army chief Pervez Musharraf.
Talking about Musharraf case, Khawaja Asif claimed in an interview to a local TV that former army chief Musharraf was seeking pardon from the case.
