WEBDESK: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has firmly rejected rumours suggesting that President Asif Ali Zardari might be asked to resign or that Field Marshal Asim Munir has any intention of becoming the next president.
Speaking to The News on Friday, the prime minister called these reports “baseless speculation.” He said there is no truth to claims circulating in some media outlets and social media circles.
“Field Marshal Asim Munir has never expressed any desire to assume the office of president, and there is no such plan under consideration,” said PM Shehbaz. He further added that President Zardari, Field Marshal Munir, and he himself share a relationship of mutual respect and a united vision for Pakistan’s progress and stability.
The statement came after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also strongly condemned what he described as a “malicious and organised campaign” targeting the country’s top leadership. In a message posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Naqvi accused hostile foreign elements of being involved in spreading these false narratives.
“We know very well who is behind these rumours,” Naqvi stated. “There has been no discussion, nor does any such plan exist, about the president stepping down or the army chief taking political office.”
He assured the public that such attempts to create political instability would fail and that the government remained focused on strengthening Pakistan.
Senate Chairman and former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani also spoke against the rumours, calling them “pure disinformation” and urging people not to believe such fabricated stories.
The strong denials from the country’s civilian and military leadership show a united front against baseless propaganda and reflect a clear commitment to Pakistan’s stability, constitutional order, and national dignity.
PML-N leader Hassan Malik has also spoken out against the false rumours circulating about President Asif Ali Zardari’s resignation and Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir allegedly becoming the next president.
In a post on social media, Malik called the news “completely fabricated” and part of a “well orchestrated conspiracy” designed to sow misunderstandings between the country’s leadership and state institutions.
He strongly condemned what he described as a malicious narrative, blaming PTI and its affiliates for continuously spreading anti-state propaganda and toxic disinformation to destabilise national harmony.
Read more: Naqvi terms media reports of President Asif Ali Zardari’s removal as rumours
