One-minute wonder: Army mutes rumours on Zardari-Kayani call

President to address his stay in Dubai, Memogate, May 2 raid in two speeches.

KARACHI: Sometimes in politics, it seems, there can be smoke without fire.

The events of the last 72 hours – the most prominent of which was the president’s arrival – were attributed by some on Monday to a phone call between President Asif Zardari and the army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.

However, a statement from Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) has to a great extent rubbished the conspiracy theories. It appears the phone call between Kayani and Zardari lasted only for a minute and focused exclusively on the president’s health.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, during a meeting with the army chief, received a call from Zardari, the press release stated. Zardari, during his conversation with the PM, conveyed his regards to the army chief, on which Kayani said he would like a word.

The PM certainly backs up the story. “When I informed the president that I was having a meeting with the army chief, the president asked me to convey his regards to General Kayani. On this, the COAS showed his desire to speak to the president,” Gilani said.

Of more concrete foundation, President Zardari is set to reveal some important facts on the Memogate issue during his speech at Garhi Khuda Bukhsh in Larkana.

Sources in the party told The Express Tribune that the president has started consultations with his senior party leaders to prepare two important speeches. Zardari will speak on the death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto on December 27; he will also address a joint parliament session, which is yet to be scheduled.

The sources further said that the president would respond to all the allegations and speculations which surrounded his stay in Dubai, the Memogate case and the Abbottabad incident in which Osama bin Laden was killed. “The president will use this platform to expose the real elements who are hatching the conspiracy against democracy,” a senior PPP leader said.

According to a spokesman for Bilawal House, the president did not hold any official meetings on Monday, having arrived early in the morning. However, some party leaders, including Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, and Chairman Senate Farooq H Naik did visit the president. He was also seen by his personal doctor, Colonel Suleman. In addition, the Turkish President Abdullah Gul phoned Zardari.

Regarding the president’s health, sources said that he was active, even saying to various people, according to a source, that he had “come back to save democracy in Pakistan. The speculation against me was rife, but I will respond to these people at the right time.”

Sources added that the president, who is likely to stay in Karachi for a few days, will hold meetings with his party leaders on Tuesday (today) at Bilawal House.

The president’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that, regarding Memogate, the federal government had already submitted its statement to the Supreme Court and the president would consult the Attorney General Pakistan on the matter. “The AG is representative of federal government, who represents the prime minister and president respectively. I think there is no need to submit the president’s statement to the Supreme Court,” he said.

Meanwhile, despite health concerns, the presidency still seems to be in a combative mood. A statement issued by Bilawal House criticised the PML-N leadership, saying that the Sharif brothers believed in the politics of revenge and are trying to destabilise the democratic government.

(Read: Return of the president)

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2011.