Pak Opposition Leader accuses Zardari of "bypassing Parliament" like Musharraf

Islamabad, Sept 30 : Newly elected Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari was acting like his predecessor Pervez Musharraf as he was bypassing parliament while taking decisions on major issues, like war of terror and matters related to foreign policy, the country's Leader of Opposition Ch Nisar Ali Khan has said.

"President Zardari was pursuing policies of former president Pervez Musharraf who also had ignored parliament and took decisions on national issues on his own. Decisions on war on terror and foreign policy must be taken by parliament. Musharraf's policies have completely failed and Mr Zardari's policies will also fail," he told reporters.

"Ironically, decisions about war on terror and foreign policy are being taken in Washington, instead of being decided by parliament," the Dawn quoted him as saying.

Nisar said three vital issues - war on terror, foreign policy and the economic situation - should be discussed in parliament because it was the right forum to devise policies. "But we feel that that the president is following Musharraf's pattern, imposing major national decisions which are being made by the United States," he said and accused President Zardari of ignoring his announcement that his first official foreign visit would be to China, and instead going to Britain and the US.

Ch Nisar criticised the PPP-led government's foreign policy and said it tilted towards the US and ignored friendly countries like Iran and China.

ANI