President Asif Ali Zardari. PHOTO: AFP
"President Zardari's five-year term comes to an end on September8, 2013 and he won't contest elections for a second term," said the spokesperson.
A schedule for the presidential elections has been sought from the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Addressing the media outside Parliament House, the spokesperson said that the president will not resign from his office before the completion of his tenure.
"He was democratically elected and will stay till the time stipulated in the constitution," said Babar, adding that President Zardari is the first elected head of state to do so.
"The decision to field an opposition candidate would be taken later in consultation with other political parties," added the spokesperson.
"Currently, the president is in Dubai to meet his children from where he will go to London to meet his daughter," the spokesperson said.
Babar falsified rumours claiming that Zardari will remain in London till the end of his term.
"The president will come back to Pakistan at all costs," Babar said.
Abbottabad Commission report
With respect to the Abbottabad Commission report on Osama bin Laden's raid, the spokesperson said that the government should publish the report and present it in parliament for debate.
The government should also follow recommendations outlined in the report, said Babar.
The report released by Al Jazeera on July 8 brought to light a scathing assessment of the Pakistani government and the security structures existing during the time a US raid was conducted on bin Laden's hideout in Abbottabad, resulting in his death.
Correction: An earlier version of the story incorrectly mentioned the date of the end of tenure as September8, 2012 instead of September8, 2013.
COMMENTS (23)
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Can we please be rid of the Berlin wall at Bikawal Chowk.
"the government should publish the report and present it in parliament for debate." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ In Pakistan if you want any report to be widely dissemintaed and discussed then obviously it has to be leaked and not 'released'. That is what has been done with the Bin Ladin Report.
yeh right!
No head of PPP has ever ran away that is why they still have roots among masses. All the cases against AAZ are decades old and no court has ever finalized even a single case as yet while keeping him in jail most of the time before he was elected president. After getting the beatings himself by the establishment NS govt is not going to initiate any cases against AAZ. The Swiss case was never tried in any Pakistani court for obvious reasons even when AAZ was kept in jail under Mush. The Swiss are not going to follow the on again and off again from Pakistani govt on this political case that is time barred. Their answer has been "you have courts in Pakistan why don't you try him their?"
"That mean he will leave". Farhatullah Babar is habitual liar like Rehman Malik.
I am no fan of Mr. Zardari, however I cannot ignore the following facts;
*Only President to complete his full terms.
Took all the politicians to task and even manipulated the biggest manipulators of Pakistan, the so called representative of migrant Pakistanis, MQM.
Presided on very important constitutional amendments.Got them passed too!
Dealt a smart hand even with Supreme Court of Pakistan.
He did everything he could possible do given the fact that he is as educated as a common man of Pakistan.
He is a lot more street smart than any politician of today in Pakistan.
After all selling tickets at black does have it's educational advantages.
Now let's see how smart the current regime turn out to be!
Count Down is start to leave Pakistan other wise face the court.
* Fifty six, Fifty five, Fifty four, Fifty three ..........................till September 8, 2013*
then Mouse will be in cage.
Only time will tell.......... We people alway love our past......!!!
Shame for the SC, ECP
InshaAllah he will be back and victorious He heads a party of people with strong roots Ungreatful selfish MLN will fail as it is the party of the rich who are small in number Zardari has saved pakistan and its govern Long live true lover of pakistan
The rumors for staying him abroad permanently is a media hype and nothing as we have seen throughout his tenure of his government, when, every day we saw a news that government is going to be demolished within hour. But every one witnessed it completed its term completely. Therefore I am sure that he will remain in Pakistan when out of president office.
President Zardari is a very brave person. Once out of office, he will be in better position to defend himself. Staying in Pakistan or not is his choice but he will remain an important and formidable force in Pakistani politics. After PTI's poor performance and bleak future, PPP has once again regained its second position.
To Senator Farhatullah Babar, you want to bet, he will fly the coop at first chance he gets. I hope he stays and face the corruption charges. By the way even if he wants to run for another term , he has zero chances, the nation is so fed up from seeing his grinning and corruption that it will be the last person they will vote for him to be President for another 5 years.
Sure I believe that but only 10%
September 8 2012? That's so last year
President Asif Zardari has been great for democracy in Pakistan.
@ Express Tribune, please make a correction it is September 8, 2013 and not the 2012 !!!
Ohh yeah =D we'll see
September 8, 2013*
Dubai, London, New York this is our rullers destinations and still love Pakistan ???????
Wise decision. He knows nobody would vote for him even if he tried. Later he may develop some ailment or other situation that will prevent his return. But if he does, it'll mean he's succeeded in an arrangement that will save him from the same kind of humiliation that Musharraf is going through, except that it'll be for worse charges, like the lack of interest in naming his wife's killers whom he claims to know, and the disappeared 60 billion dollars that belong to the people. And much more.
Want to bet Senator Babar?