Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has felicitated his once arch-rival Asif Ali Zardari on his election as President of Pakistan for the second five-year term, reminding the entire nation of how the former once threatened to drag the PPP Co-Chairman by the neck across the streets of Larkana, Karachi and Lahore until looted money was recovered after his first Presidency term was almost over in 2013.
Earlier in the day, Zardari succeeded in the Presidential Election by securing 411 votes from the Electoral College against his opponent Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) Candidate and Chairman Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Mahmood Khan Achakzai.
To felicitate him, Shahbaz Sharif along with Ishaq Dar, Atta Tarar, and the former Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi visited the Zardari House in Islamabad and handed him a bouquet of flowers. He also met the President-elect.
Prior to visiting Zardari, Shahbaz Sharif in his message said that Asif Ali Zardari will be a symbol of strength of the federation.
Shahbaz Sharif hoped that as a President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari will fulfill constitutional responsibilities in efficient manner. He said that coalition parties will work together for development and prosperity of Pakistan.
Ironically, it wasn’t long ago when Shahbaz Sharif used to slam Asif Ali Zardari and hurled slurs against him in his public speeches, alleging that the latter had looted the Country and making public pledges to tighten the noose around him.
اگر ہم نے انتخابات کے بعد اس زرداری کو لاہور،کراچی،لاڑکانہ کی سڑکوں پر نہ گھسیٹا تو میرا نام شہبازشریف نہیں pic.twitter.com/mxlAJ7GBNu
— Logical Mind (@LogicalMind786) March 9, 2024
Talking to the audience in a TV show, Shahbaz Sharif even remarked that it would be tantamount to jumping in a death well if they forged an alliance with Asif Ali Zardari’s PPP.
وزیراعظم بننے کے لالچ میں زرداری سے اتحاد کر کے پھر شہباز شریف نے موت کے کنویں میں چھلانگ لگا ہی دی۔ pic.twitter.com/zAW79fZhaY
— Raza Hasan (@Raza_Prosperity) August 1, 2022
In fact, during their electioneering campaigns ahead of 2013 and 2018 polls, Shahbaz Sharif as well as other PML-N leaders especially Maryam Nawaz used to warn the masses of voting for Imran Khan’s PTI as it would eventually pave the way for the return of Zardari to power and they would suffer further misery at his hands.
Recall what I used to say in 2013 that voting for PTI would be voting for Zardari … pic.twitter.com/kI5ueBWBcW
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) March 13, 2018
