Islamabad, Dec 14: President Asif Ali Zardari is expected to be discharged tomorrow from a Dubai hospital, where he is being treated for a heart condition, and has been advised to rest at home, his spokesman here said today, without giving any date for his return to Pakistan.
The results of all investigations conducted on 56-year-old Zardari were “within normal range,” Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said, quoting a health bulletin issued by the American Hospital in Dubai The bulletin said the President had been advised to rest at home and to continue his “regular heart medications.”
However, the spokesman did not give any date for Zardari's return to Pakistan.
Religious Affairs Minister Khursheed Shah had said yesterday that the President would return in time for events to be held on December 27 to mark the death anniversary of his wife, former premier Benazir Bhutto.
Zardari's abrupt departure for Dubai on December 6 to seek treatment for what officials said was a previously diagnosed cardiovascular condition sparked speculation that he could be on the verge of resigning due to growing pressure on him from the powerful military.
PPP leaders have denied reports that Zardari had suffered a minor stroke and that he would step down. A close presidential aide told PTI today that the President will need several weeks to be fit and resume his duties.
The aide acknowledged that “immense pressure” on the President could be the reason for his condition. “Being a heart patient, the President was facing too much pressure. And eventually the pressure took its toll,” the aide said.
The latest health bulletin, dated December 13 and issued by physician Khaldoun Taha, gave the most detailed account yet of the health problems affecting Zardari at the time he was admitted to the American Hospital last week.
“Mr Asif Ali Zardari has been admitted to the American Hospital Dubai on Tuesday, December 6, 2011, with a chief complaint of left arm numbness and twitching with a transient episode of loss of consciousness that lasted for a few seconds, which was witnessed,” the bulletin said.
“Upon arrival to the hospital's Emergency Room, he was fully awake and conscious with stable vital signs,” the bulletin said.
In view of Zardari's history of heart disease, the hospital conducted cardiac and neurologic investigations, including “MRI of the brain, lumbar puncture, 2-D echocardiogram, carotid Doppler and complete blood test”.
“All investigations were within normal range and (Zardari) was kept for observation for a few more days and is planned to be discharged on December 15, 2011 to rest at home as advised and to continue on his regular heart medications,” the bulletin said.
