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Farhatullah Babar’s The Zardari Presidency: Now It Must Be Told is an account of his time as spokesperson to President Asif Zardari during his first term (2008–2013). It includes eyewitness testimony as well as the author’s insights on the tug of war between the mighty establishment, supported by the judiciary and the political opposition, and the Pakistan Peoples Party, particularly President Zardari.
Babar is known for his candour, loyalty and commitment to democratic values. His memoirs reflect a forthright approach as he recounts events from the corridors of power without resorting to euphemisms. At the same time, he maintains high ethical standards in his writing, choosing not to name individuals around President Zardari he describes as ‘dubious.’
In the prologue, Babar admits that he used to avoid contact with Asif Zardari during the period he served with Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, both during her premiership and afterwards. He mentions that he resigned from his position following her assassination. However, Zardari requested him to carry on for some time. After he was elected president, Zardari formally appointed Babar as his spokesperson.
According to the book, Zardari repeatedly reminded Babar that he was aware of his reservations about his style of politics, yet encouraged him to stay on. Babar implicitly acknowledges that he did not fully understand Zardari’s political positions until serving in the role.
Zardari, long portrayed by his opponents as a political villain, is reimagined by Babar as a symbol of endurance. “Those who played cat and mouse have lost their game to human endurance,” he writes. “Even if they have not yet sought forgiveness, Zardari couldn’t have asked for more. He had the last laugh.”
The author does not shy away from highlighting political and tactical missteps made by President Zardari. One such example is the imposition of Governor’s Rule in the Punjab in 2009, on the advice of an unnamed individual, following the Lahore High Court’s decision to disqualify Shahbaz Sharif from his provincial assembly seat. This provoked a strong reaction from Nawaz Sharif, who then announced a long march for the restoration of the judiciary, particularly the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. The action proved a significant miscalculation, triggering the formation of an alliance including the establishment, the judiciary and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz against the Pakistan Peoples Party and President Zardari.
Another major misstep, according to the author, was Zardari’s unilateral offer of a ‘no first use’ policy on nuclear weapons in relation to India, made without consulting key stakeholders in Pakistan. The statement drew backlash from the security establishment.
The third, and perhaps most consequential, missed opportunity was Zardari’s failure to restructure the country’s powerful intelligence agencies at a time when he was negotiating political consensus for the 18th Amendment.
Babar devotes a whole chapter to Zardari’s role in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, documenting his nine visits to China and his efforts to persuade Singapore to relinquish control of Gwadar Port in favour of China. He also credits Zardari with mediating between Iran and Saudi Arabia, bringing China into the fold as a diplomatic partner.
The book recounts how Zardari carefully orchestrated a strategy to pressure Gen Pervez Musharraf into resigning from the presidency. By cultivating the perception of an impending impeachment, Zardari managed to build momentum while keeping then Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani informed. However, tensions surfaced when Gen Kayani expressed a preference for PPP veteran Aftab Shaban Mirani to be nominated as president. Zardari ultimately disregarded the suggestion and moved on.
The book also recounts the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and, subsequently, his alleged misuse of judicial powers. According to Babar, Chaudhry repeatedly undermined the executive and the parliament, going so far as to threaten the repeal of the 18th Amendment through judicial intervention.
One of the most dramatic chapters focuses on the Memo-Gate scandal involving Pakistan’s then ambassador to the United States, Hussain Haqqani, and President Zardari. Babar describes the episode as a conspiracy intended to frame both men for treason. He alleges that the case was orchestrated by the then ISI chief, Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha, in collaboration with Mansoor Ijaz, a US-based critic of the Pakistani intelligence services.
The book also details the toll the crisis took on Zardari’s health. As he was being flown to Dubai for medical treatment, Zardari reportedly boarded the helicopter carrying a loaded weapon. Seeing that, his physician and close aide, Dr Asim Hussain, refused to accompany him, later telling the author that Zardari could “go to any extent in this situation.”
Babar highlights Zardari’s loyalty to his allies, noting that during this period, despite suffering from acute illness, he refused to leave without Haqqani.
The author also discusses the fallout from two major diplomatic incidents during Zardari’s presidency: the US military operation in Abbottabad to kill Osama Bin Laden and the Raymond Davis case. These episodes, Babar writes, tested Zardari’s political acumen in managing American pressure and public anger at home.
The book notes that the then foreign minister resigned after Zardari initiated plans for a cabinet reshuffle. He declined to accept another portfolio and is believed to have aligned himself with the opposition – possibly in coordination with then-ISI chief.
The book covers numerous other events not mentioned. Broadly, it seeks to illustrate how public perception of Zardari was shaped, often in negative terms, throusgh unverified media reports and sustained propaganda. It paints a picture of a presidency marked by pressure and political turbulence between 2008 and 2013, yet one in which Zardari ultimately completed his term and took steps to strengthen parliamentary democracy. Notably, Babar recounts the symbolic moment when Zardari signed the 26th Amendment. Zardari, the book reminds us, remains the only person in Pakistan’s history to have been elected president twice.
The Zardari Presidency: Now It Must Be Told offers insights that may interest both his supporters and his critics.
The Zardari Presidency
Now It Must Be Told
Author: Farhatullah Babar
Publisher: Lightstone
Publishers, 2025
Pages: 465
Price: Rs 5,996
The reviewer is asenior journalist, teacher of journalism, writer and analyst.His X handle: BukhariMubasher