Zardari staying, army chief has no political ambitions, says PM

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has no political ambitions and Asif Ali Zardari is staying as the president of Pakistan.

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During a very brief telephonic chat with a Pakistani newspaper reporter, Shahbaz strongly dismissed the rumours suggesting that Zardari may be asked to step down or that Field Marshal Munir has any ambition to assume the presidency.

Terming such claims as "mere speculation," the premier assured that there was no truth to the reports circulating in certain sections of the media.

"Field Marshal Asim Munir has never expressed any desire to become the president, nor is there any such plan in the offing," the prime minister said and emphasised that the trio of Zardari, Field Marshal Munir and he himself share a relationship built on mutual respect and a common goal-the progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

This reaffirmation comes after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, in a statement on his official X handle, denounced what he called a "malicious campaign" targeting Zardari, Shahbaz and the Army Chief Munir. "We are fully aware of who is behind the malicious campaign," Naqvi, who is considered close to the top military leadership, said.