Zardari fighting democracy, not terror: Sharif

Amid efforts to defuse the political crisis, former Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif has attacked President Asif Ali Zardari for "fighting democracy" and blamed his actions for the unrest in the country.
"Zardari is fighting democracy. Rather than fighting terrorism, he is fighting democracy... I think he is wasting his efforts on a futile exercise," Sharif said adding, it was a matter of time before the power of the people brought about a change in Pakistan.
"It is the actions of Zardari which triggered off this unrest in the country. Who is then responsible for destabilisation?" the two-time former premier told Dawn News channel in an interview.
Sharif, whose PML-N is backing the long march launched by the lawyers' movement to pressure Zardari's ruling PPP to reinstate judges sacked during the 2007 emergency, said he was not trying to bring down the government.
"I am not trying to dislodge the government at all," he said adding, the PML-N wants to "restore the rule of law and to reinstate the judges who stood against" former military ruler Pervez Musharraf added.
Zardari has been buckling under intense domestic and international pressure to bring to an end the political turmoil in the country.
Zardari was ready "in principle" to end Governor's Rule in Punjab, imposed on February 25 after the Supreme Court barred PML-N leaders Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif from holding elected office, Dawn News channel had quoted official sources as saying yesterday.
Holding the President and not the PPP responsible for the unrest and political crisis in Pakistan, Sharif said he hoped that "sense prevails on Zardari and he rectifies all the wrongs that have been done".
He said people's power would bring about a change in Pakistan and this could happen within a few days or a few years.Sharif said he was not aware of any package being worked on by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for reconciliation between the PML-N and PPP.
Appreciating the role played by the Prime Minister, he said Gilani should either convince Zardari to change things or "take his own decisions".
Sharif and his brother, former Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, have accused Zardari of influencing a Supreme Court order last month that barred them from contesting polls and holding elected office.
Following the court's verdict, Zardari imposed Governor's Rule in Punjab, which was ruled by the PML-N. The party then decided to back the lawyers' long march that is scheduled to culminate with a sit-in near parliament on March 16.