Imran was ousted from power to save nation: Asif Zardari

Former President of Pakistan and the co-chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that the ruling coalition had to topple former prime minister Imran Khan's government to stop him from "selling out the nation," Aaj News reported.

Addressing a party workers' gathering in Vehari, Zardari said that the coalition parties had full cognizance of the economic challenges.

"It's not that we didn't know how bad the economic situation was. We knew it. But we had to stop Imran Khan. Otherwise, he'd have sold the nation to Pakistan's enemies," Zardari said.

The former president said Imran was a zero in the government and had no control over inflation or other things.

"Now that he is out of power, he criticizes the rising inflation," Asif Zardari said, adding that Imran Khan was directly responsible for the country's current economic situation.

Zardari says will never hold talks with Imran

PPP's co-chair said during his tenure, there was no inflation and the stock market was above the 35,000-point mark.

He said the inflation went out of control during the PTI government and hasn't been controlled ever since.

Zardari said the government had full cognizance of the spiraling inflation, but expressed the belief that his supporters would understand the economic situation and not hold it against the party.

Zardari said he has personal contacts with the people of Vehari.

The PPP supremo said Imran Khan did not win the by-elec­tion in Rajanpur on the ba­sis of popularity, but due to price-hike and the women voted for his party because they run the kitchen for the family.

To a question about contesting elections on a National Assembly seat from Vehari, he said that “if you people are inviting me to contest, then I do not have any objection.”