LAHORE – President Asif Ali Zardari returned to Islamabad after spending roughly two days in Lahore, where he did not hold any reported meeting with the Pakistan Peoples Party’s local leadership, the sources familiar with the development said on Monday.
President Zardari’s low-profile visit has drawn attention amid speculation surrounding PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and reports that he may have left the country.
A senior party figure familiar with the matter said Zardari’s stay in Lahore was not intended for consultations with provincial or local PPP leaders.
According to the source, the president had come to the city to deal with sensitive and urgent matters away from public attention.
The source said Lahore was selected as the venue for the visit because of the need for discretion. He also acknowledged hearing reports about Bilawal’s possible departure from Pakistan but said he could neither confirm nor reject the reports.
During his stay, Zardari reportedly held a meeting only with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Businessman Gohar Ejaz also attended the meeting with the minister.
The president’s arrival reportedly came without prior information being shared with several PPP leaders in Lahore. Some party figures subsequently sought meetings with him, but their requests were not accepted, according to people familiar with the developments.
Zardari’s visit comes at a politically sensitive time for the PPP, which has recently intensified its opposition to proposals for creating additional administrative units. The party has also criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government over what it describes as excessive reliance on the establishment for political support.
The president has also not yet given his assent to the recent recommendations concerning the elevation and appointment of judges, adding another point of political and constitutional sensitivity.
Efforts to independently verify reports about Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s alleged departure from Pakistan remained inconclusive. PPP leaders Nadeem Afzal Chan and Shazia Marri did not respond to requests for comment before the report was filed.
Meanwhile, PPP leader from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Chaudhary Riaz, confirmed that Bilawal had left the valley but said he did not know where the PPP chairman was currently located.
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