The latest tranche of WikiLeaks published in the media has revealed that Pakistani Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani had mulled toppling Asif Ali Zardari. It says the civilian President had even made preparations for a possible coup or assassination. Leaked US diplomatic cables have said Zardari had made extensive preparations in case of his own assassination and instructed his son Bilawal to name his sister, Faryal Talpur, as president.The shadowy conspiracies and the tensions between the President Zardari and the powerful army has come out as Kayani is quoted as telling the US Ambassador during a March 2009 meeting that he might however reluctantly pressure Zardari to resign.Kayani was quoted as saying that he might support Asfandyar Wali Khan, leader of the Awami National Party as the new President. Ambassador Anne Patterson wrote that Kayani made it clear regardless how much he dislikes Zardari, he distrusted Nawaz Sharif even more.Guardian' quoting the leaked documents said, Zardari is frank about the strength of the Taliban and told US Vice-President Joe Biden that they are not winning the war against extremists.
News On AIR | December 1, 2010 8:59 PM
Kayani mulled toppling Zardari who had named successor