LAHORE: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has dismissed rumors about President Asif Ali Zardari’s potential removal, though some party members have expressed unease over the frequency of such speculation in the media. There are concerns that the recurring discussions may have a hidden agenda behind them.
The latest rumor circulating suggested that PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif was considering a presidential bid. Responding to the speculation, PML-N Senator Irfanul Haque Siddiqui rejected it as an unfounded “table story.” However, he stated that no political position is permanent, adding, “We cannot comment today on what might happen tomorrow.”
Despite the denial from PML-N, a source revealed that Zardari, who had dealt with similar rumors in the past, viewed them with suspicion, feeling uneasy about the constant speculation. The PPP’s Central Secretary for Information, Nadeem Afzal Chan, dismissed the rumors as baseless. He further emphasized that impeaching the president was not a simple matter, pointing out that a complex constitutional procedure would be required to remove the president. He argued that even if PML-N harbored such desires, they lacked the necessary political power to make it happen.
Chan also suggested that PML-N leaders should refrain from lecturing the president about his constitutional role, warning that if they pursued such an approach, the PPP would remind them of their own limits.
Within PPP circles, there is suspicion of a coordinated effort to pressure the party. Some believe the rumors are part of a premeditated strategy, possibly orchestrated by either PML-N or Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. One PPP leader speculated that Naqvi, with his ambitions, could be behind the efforts to destabilize the party.
Attempts to contact Senator Irfanul Haque Siddiqui for further clarification were unsuccessful.
