ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of the slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, now sits at the pinnacle of Pakistani politics. It is a startling comeback for a man who, though never convicted here, spent 11 years in jail here on corruption and murder charges as one of Pakistan’s most ostracized figures.The election victory last month of Ms. Bhutto’s party, which he now leads, has left Mr. Zardari, 51, Pakistan’s kingmaker. He came closer than ever to official rehabilitation last week, when a court here dropped many of the corruption cases against him.
The last two cases in Pakistan are scheduled to be dismissed this week. These days, Mr. Zardari’s most pressing concern is whom to choose as prime minister, a decision he is expected to make any day now.
Mr. Zardari’s sudden revival is a reminder of how Pakistan has veered between military rule and civilian governments that have been dogged by allegations of corruption, and how those cases can be prosecuted – or wiped away – depending on the political winds.
The dismissal of the corruption cases was a key demand by Ms. Bhutto as she negotiated her return to Pakistan after eight years in exile, under an American-backed power sharing deal intended to preserve President Pervez Musharraf.
But it is Mr. Zardari who has become the accidental beneficiary of that plan, which is now in shreds. On Sunday, he and the other main opposition leader, Nawaz Sharif, said they would seek to curb what remained of the president’s already diminished powers. The pair pledged to bring an end to the Musharraf era.
In an interview just before the elections, Mr. Zardari said the cases against him were politically driven. The accord agreed to by Mr. Musharraf, known as the National Reconciliation Order, and on which the court acted last week, exonerated him, he said.
“Before she laid down her life she made sure that the world acknowledged, everybody acknowledged that they were politically motivated cases,” Mr. Zardari said of Ms. Bhutto in an interview just before the elections. “So I think I am exonerated.”
Hello ,
I hope you are fine and carrying on the great work you have been doing for the Pakistani side of Internet. I am Ghazala Khan from The Pakistani Spectator (TPS), We at TPS throw a candid look on everything happening in and for Pakistan. We are trying to contribute our humble share in the blogistan.
We at TPS are carrying out a new series of interviews with the notable Pakistani bloggers, writers and web masters. In that regard, we would like to interview you, if you dont mind. Please send me your approval for your interview at ghazala.khi at gmail.com, so that I could send you the questions. We would be extremely grateful. We have done many interviews with many bloggers from Pakistan like Dr. Awab, Kashif Aziz, Fahd Mirza, Unaiza Nasim, Omer Alvi and host of others. We have also interviewed prominent figures like renowned writer Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa Agha, Dawn Columnist Urdsher Cowasjee and plethora of others.
regards.
Ghazala Khan
The Pakistani Spectator
http://www.pakspectator.com