I am proof of Chaudhry Nisar’s ‘banana republic’: Dr Asim

LONDON: Former minister of petroleum and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Dr Asim Hussain has said that he is a living example of former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s ‘banana republic’, which he now condemns while no more being a minister.

Dr Asim told this reporter in an interview that it doesn’t suit Nisar to pronounce that Pakistan may become a ‘banana republic’ if sit-in politics continues in the country, adding that it’s Chaudhary Nisar who, while being the interior minister, did everything and tried his best to turn Pakistan into a ‘banana republic.’

“I pray that Pakistan never becomes a ‘banana republic’, but if it does then Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan will have the biggest hand in its making. He is responsible for the oppression on PPP starting with me. He got me arrested and suppressed me on false grounds; he was the main character behind my incarceration for 21 months on concocted grounds. He is not trying to disassociate himself from his past and under him, there was no justice, no compassion and no fairness. Banana republics come into being when rulers think that they are too powerful and become arrogant. Chaudhary Nisar is trying to stay relevant by giving lectures on ‘banana republic’,” he said.

The former petroleum minister, who is a close aide of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, alleged that Nisar is working on a “hidden agenda” against his party leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and trying to damage him through media statements.

“He (Nisar) has a hidden agenda; he wants to get into power through the back door and unconstitutional methods as he is against democracy and doesn’t believe in democratic system. His full time job is to abuse and malign PPP and especially Asif Ali Zardari. Whatever is happening to Nawaz Sharif is because of him and this is something Nawaz Sharif should understand. All political forces fell out with Nawaz because of him,” Asim said, advising the former prime minister to beware of Chaudhry Nisar.

He further said that he had stepped down from his role as PPP’s Karachi chapter president because “this role needed a full-time person who could carry out his duties for the party.”

Asim said that his treatment in London could go on for long and “political situation in the country needs a full-time person. I am there for Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. I will be back in Pakistan once my treatment is done and I will fulfill any responsibility given to me by the party leadership.”

The former petroleum minister arrived in London last week after getting permission from the Supreme Court of Pakistan to go abroad for his medical treatment.

Asim maintained that Asif Ali Zardari rightly held a meeting with Dr Tahirul Qadri in Lahore, adding that politics has strange bedfellows and Zardari has done nothing wrong.

“Politicians meet all kinds of people. Even brothers fight with each other and then they make up. Asif Ai Zardari is trying his best to do whatever is best for Pakistan and he has full support of the party,” he said.