An American magazine reported on Tuesday that President Asif Ali Zardari may step down due to his poor health condition.
In its report, The Cable quoted a former US government official saying that when US President Barack Obama spoke with Zardari recently regarding Nato’s killing of the 24 Pakistani soldiers, Zardari was “incoherent.”
The report claimed that Zardari was “feeling increased pressure over the Memogate scandal”, and quoted the official as having said: “The noose was getting tighter — it was only a matter of time,” expressing the growing expectation inside the US government that Zardari may be stepping down.
The official also said that parts of the US government were told that Zardari had a “minor heart attack” on Monday night and flew to Dubai via air ambulance today. He may have angioplasty on Wednesday and may also resign on account of “ill health.”
President Zardari left for Dubai on Tuesday to visit his children and undergo some medical tests. He was accompanied by his physicians and personal staff.
According to the president’s personal physician Colonel Salman, the proposed medical tests were “routine” and are linked to a previously diagnosed cardiovascular condition.
In Islamabad, some papers have reported that before Zardari left Pakistan, the Pakistani Army insisted that Zardari be examined by their own physicians, and that the Army doctors determined that Zardari was fine and did not need to leave the country for medical reasons. Zardari’s spokesman has denied that he met with the Army doctors.
President Zardari had announced plan to address a joint sitting of parliament immediately after Muharram, in the aftermath of last week’s Supreme Court decision to set up a commission to probe the memogate scandal.
The Cable report suggests that the session has been postponed indefinitely.
