Jeddah, June 9: PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has said that he his party did not acknowledge President Pervez Musharraf as a constitutional president as he occupies the position by default.

“The PPP-led government has a working relationship with the President as we have to run the affairs of state,” he said while speaking to reports in Saudi Arabia where he is with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for talks with the Saudi leadership.

Refuting the impression that his party rode to power because of an “agreement” with the President, Zardari said his party never sought dictators’ support to come to power. The PPP had never supported any dictator in the past nor would it do so in future, the Daily Times quoted him as saying.

The PPP co-chairman said his party did not believe in working with personalities, instead it worked for the improvement of the collective political system and the strengthening of institutions. “Security, economy and democracy in Pakistan are the priorities of the PPP-led government,” he said.

He also blamed “mismanagement and poor policies” of the last decade for the current economic crisis. (ANI)