LAHORE: The PPP has cautioned that any mishap with former president Asif Ali Zardari may cause chaos in the country.

“What message is being given to Sindh by conducting legal proceedings against Asif Ali Zardari in Punjab in a case related to Sindh province? If any misfortune occurs during NAB custody of the former president then none may prevent the country from plunging into chaos and commotion,” warned party’s central deputy information secretary Munawwar Anjum.

Speaking at a joint press conference along with Punjab chapter information secretary Hassan Murtaza and others here on Thursday, he said the PPP leadership had no link with the Omni Group other than what should be between a cultivator and a sugar mill.

He said the bargain plea filed by Omni group proprietors has nothing to do with Mr Zardari as such a request is made when there’s case against the pleader, whereas the PPP leader is under detention for three months without registration of any case.

He said the party workers would take to the streets whenever the leadership would give a call in this respect. He said so far the party is fighting cases against its leaders in courts like in the past and recalled that Mr Zardari had earlier served 11 years in jail though no case was proved against him.

Mr Murtaza chided the PTI government for using what he said abusive language against opponents and encouraging the party cadre to follow the suit.

He said the government was treating the opposition as well as the masses in a fascist manner and criticised the police force for ‘mistreating’ Mr Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur by deploying police in civvies between the two.

He lamented that the former president was being denied his basic rights as jail inmate though there’s blockage in his three main arteries and he’s also diabetic.

On demanding the facilities as per law, the rulers would propagate that the opposition was demanding NRO, he added.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2019