ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari was in stable condition at a Dubai hospital Wednesday after medical tests relating to heart problems, the government said, dismissing rumors that the embattled leader was about to resign.
Zardari flew to the Persian Gulf city Tuesday following “symptoms” related to a pre-existing cardiac condition, and doctors were trying to determine whether the signs were a reaction to medication, the prime minister’s office said in a statement.
A Cabinet minister who spoke on the condition of anonymity said Zardari, 56, had suffered a minor heart attack but was “fine.”
The prime minister’s office said Zardari would remain under observation for an unspecified amount of time but would “resume his normal functions.” Zardari was due to address Parliament amid political intrigue surrounding a memo that asked the U.S. for help in reining in the military.
Also, tensions in the U.S.-Pakistan relationship are soaring following a NATO airstrike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
Zardari’s departure was enough to set a country with a history of military coups — and where no elected government has ever lasted a full term — swirling with rumors.
The Washington Post
