President should quit his party Co-chairmanship: Ch. Nisar

ISLAMABAD, Apr 21 (INP): Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said that President Asif Ali Zardari should resign from his party’s Co-chairmanship after signing 18th Amendment. He said that action has been taken against only some junior officials in the Benazir Bhutto’s murder case

In an exclusive interview with INP on Wednesday, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that political role of President Asif Ali Zardari had not been weakened despite handing over powers to the Parliament and the Prime Minister, because he is still enjoying dual offices Co-chairman of the PPP and President of the state, Nisar added.

He said that President Asif Ali’s role in politics would remain controversial until he would quit his party office, adding the President transferred his powers to parliament which would not be beneficial if the Prime Minister would continue receiving dictations from the presidency

Chaudhry Nisar said that the PPP Core committee, for which Premier Gilani is also member, is still dictating the government after approval of 18th Amendment. The President should end dictating the Prime Minister and quit his party office according to 1973 Constitution, he said.

He further said that if the 1973 Constitution had been restored in real shape then the role of President had also some limits, therefore, he must resign from his party’s Co-chairmanship, otherwise, many questions could be raised

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly said that 18th Amendment was unanimously approved, which was welcomed by every walk of life, however, the constitutional powers handed over to parliament and Prime Minister by the presidency, are still being intervened, therefore, the situation in the country would not be changed at all.

To a question about reservations of the people of Hazara over renaming NWFP as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said that the issue was a sensitive one and government should remove reservations of the people of Hazara and PPP’s leadership should sincerely review its decision.

He said that PML-N had no personal hostility with President Asif Ali Zardari, “we on principled basis are opposing wrong steps of the President and it is our desire that the President should end his controversial role in the politics, he added.

Replying another question, Chaudhry Nisar said that action was taken against only junior officials and bureaucrats in the light of UN report on Benizar Bhutto’s assassination and those, who were main suspects in this regard, were enjoying high offices in the country yet.