Zardari: 'If you are not controversial, you haven't done anything substantial'

The Express Tribune

If you are not controversial, then you have not done anything substantial, said President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday. The president was addressing a youth conference held in the federal capital. Speaking about the burden of being a leader, the president said good leadership is a result of personal sacrifice. “This is the path my wife and I followed,” he said. He also said that leader is not one who thinks he is a leader, but one who is considered so by others. Speaking about the role of youth in nation building, the president said that as the people of Pakistan, we are fighting a negative state of mind and the youth of this country is a challenge to that mindset. Commending each and every Pakistani for being patriotic, Zardari said the country is faced with life threatening challenges. Ushering the conference to a Q&A session, Zardari told his young audience that he, as the president of Pakistan, wants to be questioned by the future leaders as he is always open to criticism. Responding to a question regarding repatriation of Aafia Siddiqui, the president said the government has asked the lawyer to continue arguing the case. “We don’t have any prisoners exchange treaty with the US and we cannot do anything in that regard but ask her lawyer to stick to her case,” he explained. On a question about people committing suicide because of poverty, Zardari said his government introduced the Benazir Income Support Program through which deserving Pakistanis get a monthly stipend.