ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) issued a statement on Tuesday to dispel rumours about the possible removal of President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the party’s co-chairman.
Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, the PPP-Parliamentarians secretary general, clarified that the circulating speculations were baseless and had no legal or constitutional foundation. “Zardari is the duly elected president of this country, and this system cannot function without him,” he said, dismissing the rumours as uninformed and misleading.
The rumours began after a few journalists suggested on social media that a plan was in motion to remove Zardari, whose party, although not part of the coalition government after the February 8 general elections, lent its support in exchange for key constitutional positions, including the presidency.
On June 5, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also rejected the speculations, attributing them to individuals uncomfortable with the unity between politicians, the government, and the military. “For the first time, politicians, the government, and the military establishment are on the same page, and that bothers certain individuals,” Naqvi, who is close to Zardari, remarked.
Bukhari added that even the government could not function without the PPP’s support and that those spreading these rumours sought to destabilize the country. He also stressed that removing a Prime Minister or Chief Minister through a no-confidence vote does not destabilize the system, pointing out that such a provision is included in the Constitution for a reason.
PPP’s central spokesperson, Shazia Marri, reinforced Bukhari’s remarks, highlighting that President Zardari and the PPP had a long history of confronting challenges without retreating. “We have proven that we never abandon the field,” she stated, referring to Zardari’s leadership during periods of dictatorship and imprisonment.
Marri also pointed out that any change in the presidency would require a two-thirds majority across all four provincial assemblies, the National Assembly, and the Senate, making such speculation unfounded. She further credited Zardari for historic democratic reforms, noting that he was the only Pakistani politician who transferred presidential powers to Parliament. “During a national crisis, it was President Zardari who raised the slogan of ‘Pakistan Khappay,'” she said, recalling the period following the assassination of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
In a separate statement, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui also confirmed that there was no proposal to replace President Zardari, praising him for performing his duties as the constitutional head of state effectively.
