The President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari has announced that, he has receded his authority over the country’s nuclear arsenal and has formally given the command to the nation’s Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani. This surprise move from the President is being attributed to the growing demands for his resignation.

President Zardari is currently under amnesty being the Supreme Head of Pakistan as he had been sentenced for prison time. But this amnesty is quite fragile and can break under the Supreme Court as the amnesty decree that was made by the former President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf was never fully affirmed as a law. Mr. Zardari has also been under intense scrutiny and has repeatedly been alleged to have taken bribes especially during the tenure of the ex-Prime Minister, late, Benazir Bhutto.

However, the Presidential office of Pakistan has stated that President Zardari has relinquished the National Command Authority to Prime Minister Gilani as a first of the many moves that are aimed to bring back the balance of powers and responsibilities, that were consolidated under single control during the times of Mr. Musharraf.

According to Benazir Bhutto (Spokeswoman),

“He (Zardari) has taken the correct and democratic step and we will see many more steps taken by the president along these lines to empower the prime minister and to empower the parliament. He is giving up the dictatorial powers that Gen. Musharraf – as an unelected leader – needed to keep himself in power.”

Via Associated Press.