PPP chairman Zardari declares victory

Описание: (19 Feb 2008) SHOTLIST
1. Asif Ali Zardari and aides as he gives a news conference at his Islamabad home
2. Cutaway of reporter taking notes
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Asif Ali Zardari, leader of the Pakistan People's Party:
"Pakistan People's Party declares victory in all of Pakistan. We have won the elections in a majority and have emerged as a federal party."
4. Reporter takes notes
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Asif Ali Zardari, leader of the Pakistan People's Party:
"I think the parliament, when it comes into session and the parliament is sworn in, the government of the day will find a way to work with the parliament, we are looking to strengthen the parliament, Mr Nawaz Sharif is also going to be with us in the parliament, we intend to take him and we intend to take the power from every source and bring it back to the parliament."
6. Various cutaways of media
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Asif Ali Zardari, leader of the Pakistan People's Party:
"It has been an uphill battle but we are fighting an uphill battle, we intend to formulate all political means, take all political steps to strengthen democracy in Pakistan, democracy is our best revenge. We feel we are going towards democracy in small steps. It may be not perfect today but we have hope in tomorrow. We shall make Pakistan a better place."
8. Media cutaway
9. News conference
10. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Asif Ali Zardari, leader of the Pakistan People's Party:
"We are trying our level best to make a government of national consensus and in this effort we will try to include all political forces."
11. Wide as Zardari leaves news conference.
STORYLINE
The leader of Benazir Bhutto's political party claimed victory on Tuesday in Pakistan's general elections.
Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto's husband who now heads her Pakistan People's Party (PPP), told reporters: "We have won the elections in a majority and have emerged as a federal party."
Zardari, who did not contest the vote but could become a parliament member through a by-election, said the PPP could form a coalition with the Pakistan Muslim League-N (Nawaz) party, led by former premier Nawaz Sharif.
"Sharif is also going to be with us in the parliament, we intend to take him and we intend to take the power from every source and bring it back to the parliament," Zardari said at the news conference in the capital, Islamabad.
"We are trying our level best to make a government of national consensus and in this effort we will try to include all political forces," he added.
Zardari has vowed to continue Bhutto's mission of restoring democracy in Pakistan.
In her will, Bhutto described him as a "man of courage and honour" who could keep the party united until their son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, finished his studies at Oxford University.
But Zardari is seen as a divisive figure in Pakistani politics.
He was nicknamed "Mr. 10 percent" for allegedly receiving kickbacks on government contracts while his wife was the prime minister and spent eight years in jail before his release in 2004 for alleged corruption, a charge he and his wife said was politically motivated.

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