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  • Tanveer Zamani
    Tanveer Zamanihttp://www.tanveerzamani.com/
  • Asif Ali Zardari
    Former Pakistani President Asif Ali ZardariReuters

Former Pakistan president and widower of Benazir Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari has been in the news following several reports of his alleged marriage to Tanveer Zamani, a US-based doctor. 

Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party has been quick to dismiss the rumours and distance their leader from Zamani, even accusing her of starting the fire. 

"For several days Tanvir Zamani has been appearing regularly on television channels masquerading as a PPP leader and at times even as a spokesperson of the PPP. She is not a PPP leader and such an impression is totally wrong and misplaced," Senator Farhatullah Babar, PPP spokesperson, was quoted as saying by Dawn. 

"Rumours of Zardari marrying the lady in question have unfortunately been deliberately aided by the said lady. She has avoided answers to pointed questions and has spoken with a double tongue," he added. 

Some media reports even went on to say that Zardari and Zamani had a child together, named Sajawal Bhutto, which had allegedly caused a rift between the PPP leader and his son Bilawal Bhutto. 

The PPP spokesperson, however, has dismissed any such reports, and said that Zardari will "live and die as the spouse of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and son-in-law of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and would hate to barter away this honour for anything else". 

Zamani has left Pakistanis flummoxed after appearing on several television channels, purportedly as a PPP representative, sparking rumours of her relations with Zardari. 

Tweets from a Twitter account said to be operated by Zamani's media manager have also added fuel to speculations, as several posts show support to Zardari and his political party. 

So who exactly is Tanveer Zamani?

Pakistani reports have constantly referred to Zamani as a US-based doctor. 

However, some Pakistani media have reported that Zamani was in fact an 'Indian citizen' before getting Pakistani citizenship. 

For instance, Daily Pakistan claimed to have documents that showed Zamani was born in Hyderabad in India. 

Pakistani channel Dunya News reportedly broadcast pictures of Zamani's passport to show that she is the wife of one Tahseen Javed Siddiqui, a doctor based in Chicago, US.

The Express Tribune has called Zamani the 'Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) USA chapter president'.

Is Zamani a PPP member or not? 

Even as PPP has denied having any links with Zamani, several of her tweets mention that she has been a 'PPP worker since 1986'.

On Zamani's relation with Zardari, a tweet states that their relation is 'only of a leader and a worker'. 

Even several leading Pakistani media seem to have linked Zamani to the PPP, with The Express Tribune calling her the 'Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) USA chapter president'.

In the interview with the Pakistani newspaper, Zamani was all praise for Zardari's leadership. 

"It was the wisdom and political will of [PPP co-chairperson] Asif Ali Zardari that made it possible for the democratic government to complete its five-year tenure and enabled the smooth transfer of power to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)," Zamani said. 

"He saved democracy when his wife was slain and he again proved himself the champion of democracy by joining hands with the PML-N when Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek leader Dr Tahirul Qadri were attempting to derail it through their dharnas," she added. 

However, PPP spokesperson Babar put it bluntly when he said in his statement - "It is categorically stated that Ms Zamani holds no party office either in Pakistan or in its overseas wing. Any impression of her being a party leader or an office bearer is either based on total ignorance or is mischievously motivated".

Adding further mystery to the spiralling rumours is this tweet from Zamani's account, which says her emails have been hacked. 

"Dr. Zamani's email addresses have been hacked since July 2, 2015. So, pls disregard any email received from her hotmail or gmail domains," the tweet reads. 

Here are some of the tweets that have left Pakistanis wondering who Zamani really is. Meanwhile, Pakistanis have taken to twitter to attack her for her 'publicity stunt'. - 

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