PPP co-Chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari is likely to return to Pakistan next month soon after the retirement of Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on November 29, it is learnt. Sources revealed that key Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders are in contact with Asif Ali Zardari and would give the green signal to him to return to Pakistan with the appointment of the new army chief.
Zardari is expected to participate in former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's death anniversary on December 27, and deliver a speech on the occasion. He is expected to announce the next course of action of Pakistan People's Party (PPP). Re-organisation process of the party is likely to continue. The sources said that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would spearhead the 2018 general election campaign while Asif Ali Zardari would take key decisions with respect to nomination of candidates as well as all critical party decisions from behind the scenes.
Zardari left the country last year after he made a hard-hitting speech against the military establishment for "overstepping its domain". Following his controversial speech the co-chairperson of PPP left for Dubai. Ever since then, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has led the party from the front and conducted numerous public rallies in Pakistan.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar reportedly visited Dubai on July 23, 2016 and held meetings with Asif Ali Zardari. PPP spokesperson Farhatullah Babar said while talking to Business Recorder that Asif Ali Zardari has already said that he would return to Pakistan in the next few weeks. Answering a question he said that if Asif Ali Zaradri will return to Pakistan he would certainly address the central public gathering at Garhi Khuda Bux on the death anniversary of slain PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto on December 27.