Zardari denies making anti-Nawaz statement

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday denied passing any remarks concerning former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Media reports had claimed on Monday that Zardari, in a meeting with party leaders, said that Nawaz is “far more cunning and opportunistic than we thought”. The former president was also quoted by sources as saying that Nawaz “sold us out on every occasion and we were duped by him at all times.”

Zardari, in a conversation with Geo News’ veteran journalist Hamid Mir earlier today, denied making the statement against the PML-N quaid.

“Nawaz should not hide behind excuses to speak,” Zardari told Mir. “I didn't talk to any journalist yesterday.”

In response to the statements that emerged in the media, Nawaz, in a statement today, advised Zardari to refrain from war of words and mudslinging. The former premier also questioned whether Zardari was so innocent that he got duped by him [Nawaz].

“Why is Zardari now speaking the ‘truth’ after three years,” he asked, asserting that being opposed to former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf shouldn’t translate into being against an institution.