Asif Ali Zardari out? Rumours of coup swirl in Pakistan

Islamabad - 07 Dec 2011: Reports of a military coup swirled acrossPakistanon Wednesday, a day after the country's embattled PresidentAsif Ali Zardariquietly flew out to Dubai, ostensibly for treatment. His close aides spoke in different voices about his medical condition, intensifying speculation about his political future amid a series of crises that put him at loggerheads with the powerful military and undermined his authority.

AForeign Policymagazine report had a day earlier quoted an unnamed former US official saying the 56-year-old leader was "incoherent" when he spoke with PresidentBarack Obamaover the weekend. The magazine said the US government was informed about a "minor heart attack" he had suffered on Monday night and that he may resign on account of ill health. "The noose was getting tighter-it was only a matter of time," the former official said, expressing growing concern in the US that Zardari may be on his way out.

Zardari's spokesmanFarhatullah Babardismissed the report as "speculative, imaginary and untrue" and insisted the president was in Dubai for routine medical checks "for a pre-existing cardiovascular condition".

But Pakistan human rights ministerMustafa Khokharcontradicted Babar and confirmed that Zardari had a minor heart attack. He said Zardari had undergone an angioplasty in Dubai. "He's in good health now. He will come back tomorrow (Thursday). There's no question of any resignation."

Interestingly, Zardari had earlier undergone an angiography and was reportedly given a clean bill of health in London a few months back.

Media reports said confusion over Zardari's health could be an excuse for him to step down amid growing pressure from the military angry with him over a memo that sought the US's help to limit the all-powerful institution's power and help to stave off a coup. The "Memogate" scandal was about the communication about a reported coup attempt following the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May.

Zardari was earlier forced to remove Pakistan's envoy to USHusain Haqqanifor his alleged role inMemogate. Haqqani has been accused of working at the president's behest and faces possible treason charges.

The resignation buzz intensified on Wednesday after Zardari's son and political heir-apparent Bilawal met Prime MinisterYousaf Raza Gilaniin Islamabad. Bilawal, still a graduate student at Oxford, is the Pakistan People's Party co-chairman.

Zardari has survived multiple crises since he took office three years back following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. So far he has kept the generals in good humour by balancing international pressure and doing their bidding. But the memo scandal is the worst he has faced and has pitted him against a military that is now largely seen as protecting international terrorists and shielding rogue elements in olive green.

Pakistan has been under military rule for half of its existence. The generals often pull the strings when out of power. Former military rulerPervez Musharrafhad deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif who had an absolute majority in parliament to take power in a bloodless coup in 1999 shortly after his Kargil misadventure.

Gilani issued a statement, saying Zardari went to Dubai for medical tests after his children insisted him to do so. The statement said he was stable and would "remain under observation and return to resume his normal functions as advised by the doctors". It gave no timeframe for the treatment contradicting Khokhar's statement about the president's return on Thursday.

Zardari has convened a special session of Pakistan's parliament in mid-December to discuss the NATO airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers recently and Haqqani's role in the memo controversy. The US magazine claimed that Zardari was informed that none of the opposition members or the service chiefs would attend his address to the parliament as a protest.

source: TOI