Pakistan President says he’s fine, vows to return soon

Reuters: Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari is “fine” and will return home soon, a news anchor quoted him as saying on Friday, nearly a week after his rush to a Dubai hospital led to speculation the unpopular leader might resign and even of a possible coup.

“I’m fine and will return soon,” Zardari reportedly told Hamid Mir, a popular news anchor, who repeated the comments on state television. “I did not want to leave. My children and friends and the prime minister insisted that I go for a checkup.”

The issue of the president’s health has gripped Islamabad, exacerbating a series of cascading crises. News media, bloggers and analysts have openly speculated that Zardari would resign or that a coup was afoot.

Zardari seemed to acknowledge

the speculation.

“Those that run from the country run with their kids,” Mir quoted the president as saying. “My son is in Pakistan. I left him there.” “My enemies will be disappointed.”

Zardari likely suffered a transient ischemic attack, sources said on Friday, which can produce stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage to the brain.

According to the U.S. National Institute of Health web site, a TIA occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain stops for a short period of time. It can produce “stroke-like” symptoms for up to two hours.

“The MRI is clear, but we suspect it may have been that (a TIA)”, said one party official who requested anonymity. TIAs can be precursors to actual strokes if not quickly treated, which usually include blood thinners to reduce clotting.