WikiLeaks: US embassy disapproved of president's moves

Newly released WikiLeaks cables show that the United States (US) embassy maintained a disapproving attitude towards President Asif Ali Zardari after the Supreme Court (SC) declared the Sharif brothers ineligible to run office.

The cables state:

“We expect a renewed rush of predictions that this will prompt the Army to replace Zardari; certainly, the military will consider the Court decision as unnecessary and ill-timed, but we still have no indications the military would move to oust Zardari or pave the way for a PML-N government.  With the ongoing debacle in Swat and a high-level Pakistani delegation in Washington, few will challenge the perception of the bad timing of this move. It also demonstrates, disappointingly, that Zardari continues to play politics while his country disintegrates.”

According to the cables, when US officials inquired about the timing of the move, PPP parliamentarian Farahnaz Ispahani said:

“the PPP-led GOP “”had no choice”" because Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani had entered into discussions with Shahbaz on February 23. “”We are very unhappy with the way Gilani has gone off the reservation”" while Zardari was in China, she said.  According to unconfirmed press reports, Gilani had assured Shahbaz that the PPP would not try to remove the Sharifs from power in Punjab and suggested Chaudhry might lead a new “”Constitutional Court,”" proposed by the 2006 PPP/PML-N Charter of Democracy.”

The cables further state:

“Zardari may indeed win the short-term tactical battle against Nawaz. In the longer term, however, Nawaz is playing his cards well and now has grounds to compare what he will term Zardari’s high-handed rule to that of Musharraf. Many in the PPP disagreed with the decision to challenge Nawaz, so Zardari has further alienated party faithful. This decision and promises of additional deals for the former Chief Justice or Shahbaz demonstrate, disappointingly, that Zardari remains focused on political machinations rather than the militant threat in Swat and the tribal areas.”

The full text of the cables can be read on Dawn.com, The Hindu and NDTV. WikiLeaks has previously released cables to other media organisations including Guardian and the New York Times.