Asif Zardari returns to Pakistan amid atypical Confusion
By Omair Rasheed - Pakistan Times Staff Correspondent

LAHORE: Top leader of Pakistan Peoples Party [PPP] Asif Ali Zardari returned to Pakistan from Dubai in the wee hours today, Saturday amid diverse stories on his cage or custody.

Whereas PPP speaks of his arrest, soon after landing at Allama Iqbal International airport in Lahore, official sources negate this notion saying that Zardari was shifted to Bilawal House II, located in the Punjab metropolis soon after his arrival.

Such a view has been beamed even by Federal Minister for Information, who happens to be the spokesman of the Government.

A story aired by a private television channel claiming that Zardari spoke to its correspondent on return home, endorses such a version—yet sans a clear picture because the Punjab government had issued no communiqué on the subject till our going onto the web at mid-day today.

With a clear picture yet to emerge, the fact remains intact that the Lahore airdrome and its’ adjacent vicinities gave a camouflaged look due to presence of heavy police force.

Yet another report says that police, deployed at the airfield entered the plane which brought the spouse of Pakistan’s ex-Prime Minister and PPP Chairperson Ms Benazir Bhutto back home and arrested ARD chief Makhdoom Amin Fahim, ex-Minister Sardar Asif Ahmed Ali, Akbar Khawaja and a few others.

On his arrival at Lahore airport, Asif Zardari, a private news channel asserts spoke to it’s’ reporter and said; that he was happy and thanked Allah Almighty for his arrival at homeland.

Pakistan’s first independent daily E-newspaper, ‘Pakistan Times’ understands that prima facie, Asif Zardari has been placed in a sort of ‘protective custody’ [which does not fall in the category of formal arrest] and lodged at his residence in a posh and protected area of Lahore, seemingly in his own interest to shield him from any untoward episode.

Info Minister

And in Islamabad, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed responded to the queries on Zardari with clear words that he [Asif Ali Zardari] had been shifted to Bilawal House-II after his arrival at Allama Iqbal Airport, Lahore from Dubai.

Rashid rejected the news stories on Zardari’s arrest and said that he has been reached home. Few people reached at the airport while Lahore remained peaceful, he remarked. No one has been arrested and those who tried to create obstacles on the roads would be released.

The Minister gave credit to Government of Punjab for tackling the situation in an organized manner because the government would not allow destroying peaceful environment.

“Politics have some codes of conduct; Zardari has gained what the wanted from the media, now he is in Pakistan and free to visit anywhere including Data Darbar”, Rashid said by adding that some people had reached at the airport who were sent back and Asif Ali Zardari was neither handcuffed nor was arrested.

Of the Workers

Replying to a question, the Info Minister said that he has asked to Punjab chief minister that if some workers have been arrested, they should be released forthwith because we do not have any interest in any one of them.

Take-off from Dubai

An earlier story said that PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari’s flight left Dubai airport for Lahore on Saturday morning.

Before boarding the aircraft of a private airline, Zardari said to a news network that he was going to his home and that “the government’s attitude of putting obstacles showed that neither there was any democracy nor democratic forces were allowed for their democratic activities.”

Perspective

An earlier report said that the Punjab capital was all set to gaze at the government-PPP showdown, as Asif Ali Zardari was getting back to Pakistan from Dubai today, Saturday.

The PPP leader had reserved seats on three different Lahore-bound flights from UAE, but finally opted for the flight which will be landing at 4:30 pre-dawn hours PST [11:30 GMT].

However, confusion still persists over the time of his arrival, as he had announced that he would arrive at 11:30 in the morning, but later the local PPP leaders claimed that he would be arriving at 4:30 am via an Aero Asia flight due to a change in schedule.

The PPP had asked its workers to reach the airport by any means necessary. They were directed to use public or private transport instead of hiring buses or booking train bogeys. The party claims that a large number of workers from Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP and Azad Kashmir have already reached Lahore and were in hiding to avoid arrests.

The Pakistan Peoples Party [PPP] leadership had vowed to receive its leader 'despite all hurdles created by the government'. The leadership had warned that the situation might get out of control if the government stopped the workers from reaching the airport, as they might react to any hindrances. The government would be responsible for any such reaction, the leadership warned.

Warning by Govt

The government did not allow the party members to hold a rally or gather at the airport and the Punjab Government had warned that the ‘violators of law’ would be dealt with an iron fist.

Earlier, Asif Ali Zardari addressed the Press at Bilawal House, Lahore, from Dubai via telephone. MNA Sherry Rehman, MNA Dr Fehmida Mirza and Munawar Anjum were present on the occasion.

He said the PPP would not close doors of dialogue and would avoid the policy of confrontation. He said the PPP was committed to restoration of democracy in the country and it was only to PPP’s credit that 'it fought against every dictator'.

The party was ready for a dialogue but that did not mean it would end its struggle for the restoration of democracy in its true spirit, he said by adding; he would come at all costs and "would fight for the just cause on the roads along with the party workers". He admitted the government had established contacts with the party leadership. He lauded the efforts of his party workers, saying they had made sacrifices for democracy and the future of Pakistani people.

To another question he said the party would carry on with the rally and go to Data Darbar, the shrine of the great Sufi saint and spritualist Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh [RA] at all costs. To another question, he said he had spent 11 years in jail and was ready to go again if the government arrested him.

He said the whole world had become a family now and the media was exposing every act of the government. Arresting the workers and putting them behind bars would not earn the country a good reputation.

Of MMA’s Offer

He said he would not land in Peshawar despite MMA’s offer and would come to Lahore as scheduled. When asked about his course of action if the government deported him again, he said Mahmood Ghazanvi hit India 17 times and he [Zardari] would also come back.

To another question he replied that he could hold dialogue with MMA for restoration of democracy.

Campaign

Meanwhile, the PPP continued its preparations despite, what it says; the crack down on its workers and leaders. Several leaders arrived in Lahore and were residing at different places. Taj Haider, Safdar Abbasi, Fehmida Mirza, Sherry Rehman and others talked to media Friday.

PPP leaders Naveed Chaudhary, Taj Haider, Farzana Raja and Altaf Qureshi while speaking at the offices of ‘The Nation’ said the government was panicking because of Zardari’s popularity and was violating citizen’s basic human rights. They said the party had achieved its target 'of mobilising the masses against dictatorship'.

Million Marches

They were of the view that the government was committing a crime by arresting people. The leaders asked that why would General Musharraf not allow the party to work with the masses if he thought that the party was liberal and moderate? The MMA was given free hand to hold million marches and hold public meetings but the PPP had been denied this basic right.

They said they would go to airport at all costs. They strongly criticised the arrest of their workers coming from other federating units, terming it 'an attempt to create disharmony among the federating units'. Some sources said that Asif Ali Zardari might be put under ‘house-arrest’ after his arrival at Lahore airport.

Security Plan

Unfolding the security plan, sources said that no less than 13,000 police officials of both the Investigation and Operation Wings had been deployed all over the provincial capital to keep things under strict control on Zardari's arrival.

The Punjab government had strictly directed the city police to maintain law and order in the Provincial Capital and stringent action would be taken against the violators of the law. “No one will be allowed to take the law into hands”, another police officer commented.

Meanwhile, in a major crackdown against the PPPP workers on Friday, city police picked up more than 500 activists from different parts of the Provincial Capital, police sources said. The PPPP activists have been booked under Section 144 and 16 MPO, they added. All the arrested workers have been locked up in different police stations of the Punjab metropolis.

Qasim, Badr, Chan arrested

City police on Friday evening conducted different raids in Cantonment and Defence areas and arrested top PPPP leadership including, Punjab Assembly opposition leader and PPP (Punjab) President Qasim Zia, Aziz-ur-Rehman Chan, PPP (Punjab) General Secretary Jehangir Badr, Qaim Ali Shah and Nafees Siddiqui, police sources said.

PPP leader Syed Kazim Ali Shah had also been arrested from Moon Market, where he was briefing the party workers about the Saturday’s schedule, sources added.

The raids were conducted at the residences of PPP leaders and workers under the supervision of senior police officers, sources said, adding all those arrested have been shifted to locations, which are yet to be ascertained. The police officials concerned, when contacted, neither confirmed nor denied the these arrests.●