Former president and Pakistan Peoples Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari is expected to return to the country in the next couple of days in the wake of criticism by some party stalwarts, media and opposition over his sudden departure from the country. The former president left for Dubai on Wednesday along with Senator Rehman Malik, just days after his outburst against Pakistan Army during a ceremony in the PPP Secretariat in Islamabad.
A senior member of the party told Business Recorder on Saturday that Zardari's visit of Dubai was scheduled as he was to hold some important party meetings there and would be back in the country in the next couple of days. "Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari are expected to spend the remaining Ramazan in Lahore and hold meetings with party workers of different districts," he said.
He said the party chairman would have more interaction with the party workers during his stay in Lahore and a strategy for the upcoming local government elections would be chalked out. Bilawal Bhutto and Senator Rehman Malik returned to Karachi late Friday from Dubai while Zardari's sister Faryal Talpur, who is presently in London, will return after 15 to 20 days. She left the country along with Sindh Home Minister Sohail Siyal on June 23.
Meanwhile, Karachi Administrator Saqib Soomro, known for his close links with the former president, has fled to Germany following Rangers' raids on the houses of some bureaucrats. Meanwhile, sources told Business Recorder that Fishermen Cooperative Society's vice president Sultan Qamar Siddiqui has made some important disclosures while in custody of the Rangers and this may lead to arrest of some other bureaucrats and senior police officials in coming days and weeks.
National Accountability Bureau has already obtained remand of Tehsil Sajawal Municipal Administration's Mumtaz Zardari and three town officers of Sehwan Sharif - Zahoor Ahmed Shahani, Rehmatullah Memon and Engineer Idrees. Meanwhile, Sindh High Court has granted bail to Syed Ali Mardan Shah, the provincial population welfare minister, who is facing a NAB inquiry for misuse of power and embezzlement of public funds. Former education minister Pir Mazharul Haq, secretary information Zulfiqar Shahlwani and Mansoor Rajput have also secured pre-arrest bails.