Zardari leaves Lahore quietly, Bilawal’s whereabouts fuel fresh speculation

Zardari departed for Islamabad on Sunday after a low-profile visit during which he reportedly held no formal meetings with PPP leaders in

LAHORE: President Asif Ali Zardari has left Lahore after spending around two days in the city without meeting the local leadership of his Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), adding to speculation surrounding the political situation within the party.

Zardari departed for Islamabad on Sunday after a low-profile visit during which he reportedly held no formal meetings with PPP leaders in Lahore. His stay has drawn particular attention amid unconfirmed reports that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari may have left Pakistan.

A senior party figure close to the leadership said the president’s visit was not intended for meetings with the party’s local leadership. According to the source, Zardari had come to Lahore to deal with sensitive and urgent matters away from public attention.

The same source acknowledged hearing reports about Bilawal’s possible departure but said he could neither confirm nor reject them.

During his stay, Zardari was reported to have held only one known meeting, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who was accompanied by businessman Gohar Ejaz. The president’s arrival also appeared to catch several PPP leaders off guard, with party members saying they had not been informed beforehand.

Some PPP leaders reportedly sought meetings with Zardari but were unable to secure appointments.

The president’s visit comes at a politically sensitive time for the PPP, which has recently taken a strong position against the creation of new administrative units and criticised the PML-N government over what it describes as excessive reliance on the establishment.

Zardari has also recently withheld his assent to the elevation of judges, adding another layer to the growing political tensions.

Attempts were made to contact PPP leaders Nadeem Afzal Chan and Shazia Marri for clarification about the reports concerning Bilawal, but no response was received before the report was filed.

Meanwhile, PPP Kashmir leader Chaudhary Riaz said Bilawal had left the Kashmir Valley but added that he did not know where the party chairman was currently located.