The Pakistan Policy Blog

PPP Co-chairman Asif Zardari paired up with Punjab Governor Salman Taseer at a rally today in Lahore to do their own muscle flexing. Zardari wasn’t able to fire up the crowd as Nawaz had done twice last week. But he did say his party can hold a long march of its own. And then he made a highly suggestive proclamation: the PPP will move to make changes in the presidency when it sees fit and the chant of “Long live Bhutto” will ring from the presidential palace.

Was he talking about himself? Nusrat Javed of Aaj Television says he received an unconfirmed report that Zardari met with US Ambassador Anne Patterson who said her government is willing or ready to let go of Musharraf but is concerned about who comes next. Zardari, the reports claims, then asked, “Why not me?”

If the PPP’s constitutional package goes through, the presidency will be weakened considerably. But keep in mind no one’s talked about reforming the National Command Authority, and that means a President Zardari would be in control of Pakistan’s nukes.

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