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There were reports in the U.S. media that Pakistan's intelligence service (ISI) was involved in the recent bombing of the Indian Embassy in Afghanistan.
We in Pakistan have denied that story. The ISI is not responsible for the bombing of the Indian Embassy in Afghanistan.

Do you think your party and Sharif's can control ISI?
Obviously ISI is going to be controlled. There is no other choice. ISI is part of the state.

I remember your wife thought the ISI was a problem.
I am not saying they haven't been a problem in the past, but everybody learns from their mistakes.

How stable do you believe the coalition government is, and can it last for five years?
The government is stable enough to last for five years. The people in the West have little experience with coalition governments, but if you look at the Indian model, you will find that there are [17] parties today in coalition in India. With four or five parties, we can manage.

So you are not worried about stability?
No, we are not even worried about a new election. If there is a fresh election, everybody will participate, and if another party is more popular than the PPP, they have a right to govern. And if they can't, we will come back.

Are you and Nawaz Sharif united on fighting extremism?
The Pakistan Peoples Party and my colleagues in opposition believe that this is a war on Pakistan—this is a war on our soil. It is our boys who are dying, our children who are homeless, our daughters who are being shut out of their homes, and we will defend our land.

Reportedly, extremism is growing in the tribal areas.
It has grown since we were last in government, but obviously that happened because democratic forces have not been around. Democracy is the cure.

Your late wife Benazir told me that she found terrorism to be more widespread than she had expected when she returned to Pakistan last fall, and she blamed Musharraf.
I agree with her. It happened on his watch and on the world's watch—it's not only Gen. Musharraf who is responsible ... It has grown since we were last in government, but obviously that happened because democratic forces have not been around. Democracy is the cure ...The world was with him in partnership, and everybody should share responsibility.

So you blame everybody?
I think everybody failed. Obviously we need to find a cure, which includes democratic wisdom rather than just a martial mindset.

© 2008

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Member Comments

  • Posted By: Sultan Ahmed @ 09/05/2008 8:10:12 PM

    It is right to say
    there is agreement
    in between,
    agreement between two persons,
    on their role,played in the past not at present,
    can be said with full criminalty.

    As a minister,
    in the cabnit of his own wife,
    and broke all the records,
    by committing corruptions and called Mr.10 pc,
    illegal gratification was received by him,
    from the small factory owners.

    there were some items like gold etc,
    on which commission was imposed as ten percent,
    it was special tex had no concern with any covernment institution,
    as a minister under the cover of prime minister,
    and prime minister was his wife.

    You can say agreement,
    you cansay,
    it is no agreement,
    i describe it a conspiracy,
    against the whole nation,
    all the crime including heroin casehas been deleted,
    and aquitted him all the charges,
    he did nothing for the nation,
    but going to become head of the islamic state,
    there is no concept of such a man like him,
    really a conspiracy has been hatched aginst the nation,
    looking what is going on happened never think so.

    It has been done for safe exit,
    there was no way out for Musharraf,
    every corner was occupied by the unconstitutional action,
    as he did by declaring emergency on 3th November 2008.
    Iftekhar choudhery had become a nightmare for him,
    he came in the dreams and a brave general began crying for safe exit,
    In the meanwile ,
    ppp appeared as majority party,
    so two criminal met eachother,
    and succeed to save eachothers.

  • Posted By: VGJoseph @ 08/27/2008 1:08:28 AM

    Making Zardari the President will subject him to more scrutiny than otherwise. In any event, he was manipulating matters from behind the scene. Setting a thief to catch other thieves is not a bad idea. Not that the people of Pakistan have many choices. www.winnowed.blogspot.com

  • Posted By: saj_alex@yahoo.com @ 08/26/2008 3:20:34 PM

    Zardari is a true joker, and with the power of a newly invigorated presidential office, "the joker is wild".
    Pakistan's best hope is now Kiyani and the Army once again

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