Zardari 'can't see beyond his nose'

Pakistan's former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmoud Quraishi has said that he has joined hands with Imran Khan to save the country from "plunderers and looters". "We both will make a good team as Imran has the charisma and appeal and I have political experience," said Quraishi, who announced joining Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) — Pakistan Movement for Justice — at a public rally on November 27 — a move which surprised many in the country. Quraishi, who hails from a family of strong religious background in southern Punjab, resigned from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) recently after he fell out with the PPP leadership including President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. "President Zardari does not think beyond his nose and can compromise on anything to prolong his tenure. He is surrounded by people who do not care about the country and are busy filling their bank account," he said. Quraishi spoke to Gulf News during his short stay in Dubai and shed light on why he left the government, the PPP and what his political aspirations are. Here are some excerpts from the interview. Gulf News: Why did you join Imran Khan? Shah Mahmoud Quraishi: I have very good equation with Imran Khan. Imran and I go a long way as we went to the same school [Atchison College, Lahore]. I have known him before he entered politics. I was with him while he was setting up his cancer hospital and I contributed my bit to fundraising campaigns as well. Our families are known to each other as well. He is equally keen that I work with him. He feels that if two of us work together, we make a formidable team. I have joined a movement [PTI], which is trying to win justice for people and is fast emerging as a powerful player in the run-up to elections. How would you add to Imran's strength? My participation in the PTI will bring a lot of strength and following. Since I hail from a well-respected religious family in southern Punjab, I have a huge following among religious groups in addition to a great number of PPP supporters. There is a big chunk within the PPP that sees eye to eye with me. That chunk is extremely unhappy with the way the party is being run. They are completely disillusioned with the leadership provided by [President] Zardari and equally disappointed in [Prime Minister] Gilani, who they feel have not shown the leadership the chief executive should have shown. Basically they feel that his [Gilani's] office is a post office and decisions are made somewhere else" A big number of PPP supporters are also not happy with their government as they had failed even to point out who the murderers of Benazir Bhutto are. This factor is also is very demoralising for the PPP workers. What do you say about the performance of the PPP government? The biggest issue is economic downfall. I would say that the government has failed to manage economic revival and restore investor confidence. The result is that investments in Pakistan are negligible. Institutional weaknesses have been displayed very clearly. There is turmoil in the country while the security situation has not improved. At the external front, unfortunately, our relations with the US are under a lot of strain. Our relations with Europeans have not taken off to the extend we were expecting. Why did you leave the government and the Pakistan Peoples Party [PPP]? Time has come that people have to think beyond themselves. Unfortunately, President Zardari has not been thinking beyond his nose. He has been thinking how to perpetuate his powers and his rule, how to continue to lead office and for that he is willing to make all sorts of compromises and he has. He has even made compromises with people that the late Benazir Bhutto was uncomfortable with. There is very serious disillusionment even within the PPP and you have seen expressions of that in Sindh, Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa and Balochistan. You are now criticising the government but you were part of it for more than three years? Yes, and I have been complaining and warning the leadership. One example, I went for a fundraising for flood victims in New York last year. Important leaders told me that they want to help Pakistan, but look at the performance of your government. It is incompetent and corrupt. I called [President] Zadari from the US to tell him this is what the world is saying. Please pull up your socks, please get the house in order... but in vain. What went wrong with this government? Look at the people around him [Zardari]. There are some who feel that ‘make hay while the sun shines' and they are not just concerned what the world is saying and what the nation requires. They are just busy filling their bank accounts. Nepotism is at the peak as appointments at senior positions do not exhibit confidence of people. Go and talk to the business community and common man and get the opinion and you will get to know what they are thinking. What the academia is thinking, what the intellectuals and youth are saying. In my view, youth is sick and tired of what is going on. The message of the youth is that ‘we want change. Enough is enough.' They see potential in the country and they see that Pakistan is being held back because of poor leadership. Is Imran Khan the answer to that problem? Imran has been trying for the past 15 years. His party is not a new one. But today, what he is saying is gelling with people, especially the youth. He is now getting their attention. One very good example of that was the mammoth public meeting on October 30 in Lahore. What do you say about Nawaz Sharif? Nawaz Sharif and I enjoyed very good relations. I have a lot of respect for him and he has also been very warm towards me. He invited me and we had a meeting. He discussed the political situation of the country. He also wanted me to join him but I opted to go with Imran after consultation with friends and family. Nawaz Sharif and I are friends and I intend to remain friends with him. I honestly give him my assessment whenever it is required. There is a general impression that Imran does not have electables? How do you think he can form the government? The question is that at the moment he does not have the so-called electables but it is in my knowledge that there are many electables who are in negotiations with Imran. I have discussed with him and there are quite a few waiting on the wings to join him. Did you meet Pervez Musharraf in Dubai and what do you say about his political ambitions? No, I am categorically telling you that I did not meet him in Dubai. He has decided to come into politics and has also registered a party. I am sure he has his own thinking. But what will happen in the future I do not know because politics is a day-to-day game. Obviously, for a political future, first thing that is important is that you have to be a ‘gladiator' and have to be in the arena to show your strength. So, people are waiting for his return to perform. Do you foresee early elections? I think the Zardari-Gilani government has lost complete credibility. They have lost the confidence of the people of Pakistan and, being a democrat, I think the only constitutional course to follow is free elections as soon as possible. People are calling for elections under an independent election commission and under a caretaker set-up to ensure level playing fields for everyone.