Pakistan president could follow former Russian counterpart: Report

With rumours swirling about his status and ultimate fate, Asif Ali Zardari could well do a Vladimir Putin and step down as Pakistan's president to become the prime minister, a media report said.

Quoting a Pakistani source, the US-based 'Foreign Policy' magazine reported Zardari could "pull a Putin" whereby he cedes power to the prime minister and then, as head of his party, makes a ploy to have himself elected to that post.

However, it's unclear how successful such a ploy might be, the magazine said. In fact, since late last month, calls for Zardari to step down have increased following the release of a list of names of politicians who benefited from a National Reconciliation Ordinance and the November 28 expiration of the amnesty he received under that agreement.
 
There are also reports that the Pakistani military is readying a move against Zardari based on the perception he is complicit in compromising Pakistan's sovereignty by moving too close to the United States, the magazine said.

But the perception that the military has either the will or the intent to upend Zadari isn't shared by the US State Department leadership, the report said.

Even in an interview this week, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that she doesn't see the military as acting against Zardari.

"I think that in my talking with the military, I didn't have any indication that they have any intention of doing anything other than supporting the democratically elected government," she said.

However, a US State Department official, who works intimately on the issue, has claimed that the tension between Zardari and the Pakistani army hasn't changed significantly as of late.

"There's no reason for us to think these relationships are any different than they have been. There's no indication that anything's different," the official said, adding, "By no means is the issue completely settled. We're watching the situation very closely."