WASHINGTON (Agencies) – President Asif Ali Zardari doesn’t have leadership qualities while Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani seems to be playing a strong role to counter national crises, revealed the WikiLeaks quoting US Ambassador Anne W Peterson.
In a document written by Islamabad-based US Embassy in June 2009, the envoy said that even in the presence of President Zardari, PM Gilani had filled the gap of leadership whenever it was required to establish a political alliance to counter any national crisis. An example is quoted in this regard that it was PM Gilani who managed to win support of all parties against war or terror and approval for military action against extremists.
“PM Gilani, in his address to nation on May 7, won people’s backing for military operation in Swat and adjacent areas which earned a legal certificate for the military to take steps against Taliban.”
The document also stated that President Zardari realised that he was not a popular leader and he himself confessed of not having any experience of such a high post in the past.
It also said that President Zardari personally wanted to establish good ties with India but he could not go ahead without ArmyÂ’s consent.
Meanwhile, WikiLeaks has disclosed another key point regarding Pakistan-US ties, which is about putting a condition on Pakistan for securing a nuclear cooperation with superpower likewise India.
During a meeting with President Zardari in 2009, US Senator John Kerry placed a condition on Pakistan that the latter would have to ink a ‘New Security Arrangement’ accord with neighbour India, if it wanted a civil nuclear cooperation with US, according to leaked memos of US diplomatic cables, cited in a letter of the then US Ambassador Patterson.
Citing the letter, WikiLeaks claimed that Senator Kerry wanted Pakistan to make agreement with New Delhi on New Security Arrangement, if latter was looking for winning a cooperation with US on civil nuclear deal.
Kerry also urged Pakistan to strengthen democratic institutions first for the purpose, leaked diplomatic cables disclosed. The Senator said AQ Khan network was key hurdle in way of progress of Pakistan.
While, during the same sitting, President Zardari told him that India itself plotted Mumbai attacks in November 2008.
Zardari also told US Ambassador Patterson that Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) hardly enjoyed support of only 20 per cent population in Karachi. Although, MQM had adopted an aggressive posture but we wanted to take them along, said Zardari to Patterson, as reported by WikiLeaks.
According to leaked diplomatic memos, the party always emerged victorious only on the basis of delimitation of constituencies, Zardari further told her.
According to a latest disclosure by the WikiLeaks, President Asif Ali Zardari had told US Vice-President Joe Biden in 2009 that General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and the ISI would take him out.
Zardari was referring to an alleged plot to remove him form the office. The cable also added that Zardari had made extensive preparations in case he was killed.
When Joe Biden disclosed the conversation to former British prime minister Gordon Brown, he replied that Kayani did not want to be another Musharraf and he (Kayani) was cautious about President Zardari and the Sharif brothers.
Brown further said President Zardari’s was unclear about the war on terror, though he (Zardari) always used to say, “Every thing is Okay.”
The former UK premier said the roots of terrorism in Pakistan were very much complicated and the religious seminaries solely could not be blamed for the issue. “There are certain areas where terrorism is given air.”
Biden said it was quite difficult to convince Pakistan about enhancing capacity against terrorism, adding that Islamabad was focusing its defence with a perspective of a threat from India.