Zardari back in Pakistan, to resume work

President Asif Ali Zardari, who abruptly left the country for Dubai over a heart ailment, returned to Pakistan late Sunday night, putting to rest rumours of a coup. He resumes work Monday.

Zardari, 56, arrived in the port city of Karachi having spent nearly two weeks in Dubai for medical treatment, Geo News reported.

Zardari’s suddent departure had led to intense speculation with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s address in the Senate adding to the intrigue. Gilani had said that an ailing Zardari had feared life threats in Pakistan hospitals.

Ejaz Durrani, spokesperson at Bilawal House, Zardari’s official residence in Karachi, said the president was completely fit and would resume political activities from Monday and meet party leaders.

Durrani added that Zardari would leave for Islamabad after spending some days in Karachi, reported Xinhua.

He had arrived by a special plane that landed at a Pakistan Air Force base in Karachi.

There had been a lot of confusion over Zardari’s health.

Initial reports had said that he had flown out of Pakistan Dec 6 over a heart ailment. While Pakistan Army doctors had declared him fit, a US based magazine said he had suffered a minor heart attack.

Later, some media reports said he had suffered a stroke that caused bleeding in the brain and facial paralysis. There were also rumours of a military coup, which US had scotched.