ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s powerful army wants President Asif Ali Zardari gone, but it has ruled out staging a coup and instead is hoping for a legal ruling that could lead to Zardari’s impeachment by the country’s parliament, analysts and military insiders say.
Zardari suffered a setback Friday when Pakistan’s Supreme Court set up a judicial commission to investigate an alleged request by his government for U.S. help in averting a coup in return for full cooperation in crushing Pakistan-based Afghan insurgents and reining in the country’s premier intelligence agency.
The government fought the ruling, contending that the so-called Memogate scandal is a political matter that is already being investigated by parliament.
If the judicial panel confirms the authenticity of the offer to the U.S. — allegedly made in a secret memo drafted by a top Zardari adviser — it could trigger parliamentary impeachment proceedings against the president.
Yet, impeaching Zardari could prove difficult as he enjoys immunity from prosecution and his Pakistan Peoples Party controls the largest bloc of legislative seats.
The result could be a stalemate that’s likely to see the army intensify its battle against Zardari.
“Given the churn in the internal situation, this could prove distracting for the leadership and complicate decision-making,” said a Western diplomat, who requested anonymity because of the delicacy of the situation. “We’re seeing a process that could play out over several months.”
