PPP to defend cases; No one to quit: Badar

ISLAMABAD: Secretary General Pakistan Peoples Party Jahangir Badar said on Saturday that his party “is united in the leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari,” saying that PPP believes in rule of law and it has no lust for power, ARY NEWS reported.

Addressing a news conference on PPP’s Central Executive Council (CEC) meeting here alongside Central Secretary Information, PPP, Fouzia Wahab, Badar said the party was united under the leadership of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Co-chairman Asif Zardari.

Through a resolution, he said, the PPP had expressed full confidence in the leadership of President Zardari, adding that the party would play its due role in the light of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto’s philosophy.

He said PPP respects institutes. “PPP believes is rule of law and we assure the nation that the party doesn’t have any lust for power…People Party believes in supremacy of constitution and honouring and safeguarding the institutes.”

To a question regarding ministers’ resignation, he said “No one will resign just over allegations.”

Badar said the cases were filed in Mushraff rule to politically victimize PPP leadership. He said his party had not chalked out any strategy regarding resignations of NRO-hit ministers, saying the cases would be defended in courts.

He said the act of allegation could hurt reconciliation process with friendly opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

PPP’s Central Executive Council (CEC), in a meeting today, has adopted a unanimous resolution posing full confidence in the leadership of President Zardari.

The CEC decided to defend NRO-related cases against party ministers in courts.

Aitzaz Ahsan also gave a legal briefing to the CEC on the NRO and other constitution related matters. He had called on the President and discussed various issues with him before the party meeting, sources said.

The meeting, chaired by PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, was taking place at the President House in Islamabad on Saturday.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Senator Raza Rabbani, Makhdum Amin Fahim, Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Lashkari Raesani, Syed Mehid Shah, Safder Abbasi, Jahangir Badar and others attended the meeting.