AGENCIES

LAHORE PRESIDENT Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday said that he had always considered Nawaz Sharif an elder brother, but the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz chief proved disloyal.

Speaking to reporters at the Governor’s House in Lahore, the president said that he had trusted Nawaz as a sibling, but the latter did not fulfill his responsibilities.

Zardari said that he was powerless since he had handed over all his powers to the Parliament.

“I am aware that politicians talk of having me hanged,” he added.

On Thursday, the president had launched a fiery verbal assault at the Sharif brothers, that has transformed into an ongoing war of words.

“Lahore is Pakistan People’s Party’s city. Sharif brothers are refugees here. They are alive in politics only because of me.” The power they are enjoying is a gift of the PPP which can send them home any time, but for the politics of reconciliation of the BB Shaheed that it is following,” Zardari had said.

The PPP co-chairman continued his attack on Friday while speaking to party activists at the Governor’s House when he said the Sharif brothers had ‘stiff necks’ and he knew how to humble them.

“I gave concession to the Sharif brothers only to send Gen Musharraf packing,” the president had said.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday responded by saying that he would rather prefer to resign than throw a reception for Zardari.

The rulers have plundered the country with both hands and have hid the loot in Swiss bank accounts, said Shahbaz, as he delivered another fiery speech at a rally in Arifwala.

“With the help of the rental power projects, the President hurled 180 million people of the nation further into darkness,” said Shahbaz.

“The courts have also ruled the RPPs as illegal.” Even during the time of the floods, Zardari had deserted the people and had fled to France, added Shahbaz.