Return plans: Memogate progress to shape Zardari’s homecoming

PPP’s strategy depends on armed forces’ reply to the Supreme Court, insiders say.

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari initially planned to return to Pakistan on Monday – but how the memogate case unfolds will determine when he ultimately does.

Insiders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said the president is likely to have a brief stay in the country in order to dispel speculations that he has abandoned ship. “It all depends on how things unfold in the next two days. But according to the initial plan before he left, he is due to arrive this Monday,” sources in the PPP close to the presidency told The Express Tribune.

Following his short stay in Pakistan, he is likely to leave for another visit to a ‘friendly country.’

In the meantime, PPP members said that the party is burning the midnight oil to chalk out a strategy to deal with the lingering threat of the memogate scandal in the Supreme Court. Haqqani already filed his reply, which was rejected by the SC. Now the PPP is waiting for the armed forces’ reply to the court, they said.

“Different options are under consideration … a lot depends on the contents of the replies to be filed by the chief of army staff and director-general the Inter-Services Intelligence. His stay will be brief and he will leave once again for a ‘follow-up medical check up’ in case of an adverse situation,” sources said.

The Supreme Court, while taking up former prime minister NawazSharif’s petition on an alleged secret memo, had asked all respondents including the president, chief of army staff, director-general ISI, former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani and US businessman Mansoor Ijaz to file their replies within two weeks.

It is not yet clear when army officials will file their replies or if they do, but sources claim that some backchannels are working to resolve the government-military row.

There have been conflicting reports on the nature of the president’s ailment, and PPP sources claimed that he had gone through some preplanned tests for his heart.

“He had a meeting with Prime Minister Gilani and the Senate chairman before leaving the country. There is no credence to the reports that he had fallen down in the presidency. But it is true that he is a heart patient,” another PPP leader said.

Gilani, meanwhile, said Zardari was out of intensive care and “making satisfactory progress so far as his health was concerned”.

Despite repeated queries from presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar and PPP Secretary Information Qamar Zaman Qaira, the president’s date of arrival could not be confirmed.

However, giving credence to reports of his arrival, Zardari reportedly told journalist Hamid Mir that he is “fine and will return soon.” Mir repeated the statement on state television. “I did not want to leave. My children and friends and the prime minister insisted that I go for a checkup.”

Zardari also appeared to acknowledge speculations regarding his resignation. ”Those that run from the country run with their kids,” Mir quoted the president as saying. “My son is in Pakistan. I left him there … my enemies will be disappointed.”

‘Away for a fortnight’

On the other hand, the UAE-based Gulf News, citing one of Zardari’s close aides at the hospital, said it could be more than two weeks before he returns home.

“He may leave the hospital and rest in his house under observation of doctors, but we want him to stay here because he needs rest”, the aide said.

Malik dismisses coup talk

In an attempt to counter frenzied speculation, Interior MinisterRehman Malik dismissed rumours that a coup could overthrow the government.

“We understand that the people have given us a mandate for five years, and if someone tried to do something, people would foil such attempts,” Malik said.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AGENCIES

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2011.

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