Rumours Galore

By
Hussain
-
50
327

As reports from Dubai said on Wednesday that President Asif Ali Zardari’s medical tests were normal and Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain also claimed that the president would return within four days (after getting clearance from his doctors), the doubts about his return had apparently been cleared, though details about his health were still awaited as the guessing game in the country continued.
A health bulletin issued by the president’s physician Col Salman said: “Routine evaluation of the president’s condition is being carried out… investigations carried out so far are essentially within normal range and the president’s condition is stable.”
ZARDARI WEIGHING OPTIONS:
The president’s departure for Dubai on Tuesday for treatment following “mild chest pain” had set off the rumour machinery in the wake of the Supreme Court decision on the NRO review petition and the memo issue continuing to hound the Presidency. Added to that were the incoherent statements issued by the presidential spokesman and PM’s House and the US-based Foreign Policy magazine suggesting that Zardari was weighing his options whether to face the tide or step down citing health reasons, all of which tended to lend credence to the countrywide speculations about the role of Zardari as head of state.
“President Asif Ali Zardari is in a Dubai hospital for medical tests and checkup as planned. Reports in some sections of the media speculating on the president’s activities and engagements are speculative, imaginary and untrue,” said Presidential Spokesman Farhatullah Babar. The PM’s House, after a meeting between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, said the president went to Dubai following symptoms related to his pre-existing heart condition. “After the initial medical tests in Dubai, doctors found him to be in stable condition. The president went to Dubai at the insistence of his children,” the statement said, adding that the doctors had yet to determine whether the president’s condition was due to adverse reaction to the medication he was taking or a development related to his pre-existing cardiac condition.
The very fact that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was present in the country and one of his sisters was in Britain, the statement issued by the presidential spokesman that the president went to Dubai to meet his children also suggested that there was more to the episode than what the spokesman had said for the consumption of the media. A health bulletin to explain the condition of the president was also not released by the Presidency, rather a brief statement was issued by PM’s House.
“The president will remain under observation and return to resume his normal functions as advised by the doctors,” the statement issued by PM’s House said, indicating that the president would stay in Dubai for some time and the proposed presidential address to parliament was not likely to take place in the near future.
The US-based Foreign Policy magazine had reported that President Zardari might step down on the pretext of poor health as the noose was tightening around his neck because of his alleged involvement in the memogate scandal. In its report, the Cable quoted a former US government official as saying that when US President Barack Obama spoke to Zardari recently regarding the NATOs strike in Mohmand Agency, Zardari was “incoherent”.
It was also wrongly claimed that it was not a heart problem, rather the cause of the president’s indisposition was related to his brain. Probably, if true, it might be because of a reaction to the medicine the president had been using. Doctors are in the process of determining whether the president’s condition is because of the adverse effects of medication, but the situation is currently unclear.
The Presidency and PM’s House did not say a word on this and all the statements they issued said it was a heart problem that took the president to Dubai for a checkup.
However, the question was still being raised whether a person with a cardiac problem could be flown to another country when state-of-the-art facilities were available in Pakistan. While a section of media reported that the president was flown to Dubai in an air ambulance, the information proved to be incorrect. It was also being speculated that the president went to Dubai in a private aircraft of a real estate tycoon. This was neither confirmed nor denied.
Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (PIMS) Cardiology Department Head Dr Iqbal Saifullah told Pakistan Today that the cardiac treatment facilities were far better in Pakistan than in Dubai. “We don’t have heart transplant facility but we can do anything when it comes to heart diseases,” he said.
Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain, a close aide of the president, caused further confusion by saying that when the president had left for Dubai he was normal. This contradicted the statements issued by the Presidency and PM’s House. Dr Asim also claimed that all of the president’s tests were normal. His argument that no announcement was made or required in case a person went abroad for medical treatment or a checkup was out of place, as it was not related to an ordinary person but a head of state. He simultaneously claimed the president was kept under intensive care in the hospital, but would return to Pakistan in four days.
Political analyst Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi said it was not a surprise for him as the elite of Pakistan was in the habit of making foreign trips on public expense for medical treatment. “Though there are state-of-the-art medical facilities available in Pakistan for angiography or angioplasty, our elite feels pride in making foreign trips for medical treatment. But what is surprising for me is the way the Presidency handled the matter of the illness of the president,” he said, adding that half-truths about the president’s health and mysterious press releases issued by the president’s media team had strengthened the rumours.
Asked whether or not the memo controversy had built pressure on the Presidency, Rizvi said it was true that the memo case in the apex court had built pressure on the president but the enquiry into this issue had yet to be completed and the matter had not passed a situation that could have pressed Zardari to leave the country. “There is no such indication,” he added.

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50 COMMENTS

      • U can't expect decency from the people who have never been taught decency. I will pray for his well being even if he is 'Iblees'. If this is a war between 'Angels' & 'Shaitans' the I would go for 'Shaitans'.
        I know neither we are shaitans nor we r angels.

        • Dont worry Cheema he will be alright and back to his office. There are many accountibility cases he has to face.

          • Whether he returns to office or not, I pray for his health for him to be able to face the cases which he has evaded with Gen Musharraf's backing. After all the General kept him in prison for 8 years and did not progress any cases in the courts.

            The general (General Mischief as Americans called him with disdainful affection) had become'pragmatic'. He should also face the music.

          • Yes he will not stay president for ever, you may then fulfil your wish & try him for all the sins u think he has committed, but don't go the way of Aabpara industry justice of giving dogs bad names & hanging them.

          • Mr Cheema you have got it absolutely wrong.

            More than the 'Abpara Industry' it is my English neighbour who continues to nudge me that the President of Pakistan is evading justice in Swiss Courts.

            I continue to reaausre him that he is an honourable man and will face the courts once he is not the President. He has Presientail immunity. My neighbour then laughs and says you are just trying to protect him.

            I have to say the same to you Mr Cheema that you are trying to protect him.

      • Your favourite generals r greater ablees. And what about other bigger buggers who are anxious to suck the remaining blood in nation,s veins. Nawaz? who looted this country from 1981 to 1993 and 1996-1999 and piled up wealth abroad. Shame for you

  2. @ James B or whosoevever u r, I don't think something called humanity exists in your dictionary.
    Let the people decide who they want to lead rather than fascists sitting in drawing rooms. Get him out by vote if u can ?

    • What do you mean? This blood sucker came through the back door bribing Asfand Yar Wali.

      In parliamentary system the President should have been sitting quietly and the Prime Minister leading. It is different here.

      They are both playing a game in the name of the people of Pakistan and are directly responsible for killings in Karachi in the name of the politics of reconciliation.

        • Amjad Cheema you are quite right. These same Fascists are responsible for birth of Bangladesh in 1971. These same Fascist created separatist movement in Baluchistan.People like A Reader are diseased mind and suffer from Anti-Zardari infection. They r lawless mind and desire to bring their leaders thru lawless means. Let Parliament decide who will be president. They desire to impose their opinion.

          • As far as bangladesh is concerned PPP lost general elction and its leader Zulfiqar ali Bhuttoo refused to sit in opposition.

            Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto would have been the leader of the oppositon, a role that Nisar Ali now takes up.

            PPP would have formed governments in Sindh and Baluchistan but ZAB wanted it differently. He refused to accept the results of the general elections and conspired with Yahya Khan to deprive Awami League of its rightful place.

            And the rest is history.

        • It is not the question of getting them out. They should leave with their free will.

          AAZ is already in Dubai and if he does not return soon are we in for a telephone address to the Parliament from Dubai much like another politician who addresses sitting on Edgeware Road in London.

  4. @ James B & Mehrin, Islamofasicts have been taught lis for the last 1400 years. It would probably take another 1400 years to teach them humanity.

    • For God sake don't bring religion in to it.

      It may be an easier option for you after running out of argument but it is the most stupid thing to do.

      • Yes Amjad Cheema is right. You will speak lies even if you desire to speak truth. This s becoz u hv been bred up in lies.

    • You really hv a sick mind. Zardari is here for another 5 years and you will die prior to him. God knows what kind of death a devilish man like you will meet?

  11. May Allah get him recovered quickly,Aameen suum Aameen.Zardari Saheb may Allah keep you long life and I render my humble life to your name.Don`t worry Inshahallah you will be recovered soon Aameen.afterall you have to review my dispension case for P.I.A. INSHAHALLAH TAALAA.

  13. he is not having a heart attack. He is just having a dysentery when he started thinking about repercussion of Memogate and later receive a call from Obama. ;)))) I suggest him to start wearing Dhoti its good for trouble times when he has go on for number -2 again and again :))) He is not coming back. The key question one should ask is whe is Mr. haqqani .. Is he gone with him as well ?

  17. What a shame! when the prime minister of india needs major cardiac surgery he relies on indian surgeons in india. when president of pakistan needs? angioplasty or second opinion he dashes off to Dubai.

  20. Wish President Zardari speedy recovery. At the same time, it is disappointing to read some comments above. If somebody is unwell, even the most callous of the callous do not pass such remarks. But then it tells a lot about mindset of people opposed to PPP.

  21. Depressing that it's so commonplace for Pakistani politicians to go abroad for treatment it's never even discussed. Any other democracy and it would be a hugely embarrassing vote-loser for those in power.

  23. What I see about Zardari, henever remain under pressure even at this crucial situation. Zardari may have some secret card todeal with present situation. Every one in Pakistan who concern with politicle situation is out to critisize and abusing him. But Zardari is silent and watching the situation while in Dubai. I am expecting any surprise from him but not resigne as opposition wants. He will come back with new round as he has been doing in the past and has record to recover from previous crises.

  24. There is nothing wrong with him health wise. He is master of such gimmickry to avoid probes
    be it inside / outside country. He is taking time off for working out plans away from the eyes of local spooks and media. When that done he will return hale and hearty. Just beware of his next move.

  25. I quote comments of a renowned jounalist:
    "It seems that humanity has taken leave of this country and there is no respect for human life. President Zardari is a democratically elected president; neither is he someone who came to power via the backdoor nor is he a military dictator. Dragging down the dignity of the office of the president just because some people do not like the individual at the helm of affairs is rather unfortunate."

  26. He left to meet his mentor/s in Dubai whom he could not meet in Islamabad! Why did he refuse treatment at AFIC is to ponder upon. The question of humanity does not rise here its plain and simple a game being played on our soil between various rodents.

  27. @ Khalid Rahim
    your comments do substantiate my opinion that humanity has in fact taken leave from this country.
    Thos who have been taught lis, hatred & violence against rest of humanity for last 1400 years will need another 1400 years to learn humanity.

  29. I beg your pardon Sir. Did you write 'Lowly Pakistanis'?

    Who do you think you are?

    Please do not look down upon your own kind.

    It is a fatal error of judgement and a grave mistake

  30. Pakistan’s No. 1 problem is weakness of political institutions due to militry intervention. PPP by default and by design is anti establishment. If this time they failed then the desitiny of Pakistan doomed. Educated and progressive person must help legally elected government in the present fiasco which is created by the dirty mind establishment. Our media also playing as the desires of establishment & highlight trifle matters. it always cry about nothing.

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