Karachi: Tension between Pakistan’s civil and military leadership over the memogate issue has reduced after the Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates governments contacted the PPP government and key opposition leader and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a pro-establishment Pakistani newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The newspaper in its report said the contacts by the Arab dignities led to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s statement in which he expressed his satisfaction over the General Kayani’s role, a day after he delivered a fiery speech in the parliament, saying there could not be state within state, a direct allusion to country’s powerful military and ISI.
The newspaper reported the Saudis were concerned over the Pakistani government and Nawaz Sharif’s continued criticism of the army. It added that the Mr Sharif held a meeting with a Pakistan Army general in which they discussed situation emerging from memogate controversy.
The paper said the UAE and Saudi Arabia have also expressed their concerns over the Cabinet decision on removing army and ISI chiefs, adding that leaders from both the countries contacted the prime minister and eventually Gilani backed off from his decision.
Quoting diplomatic sources, the paper said that both the Arab countries wanted democratic set up to be continued in the nuclear armed nation, adding that the Saudi Arabia and UAE hailed Kayani’s pro-democracy remarks.
The PPP has changed its attitude and directed its leaders not to issue anti-establishment statements in the media following the messages from the foreign countries,” the report said.
The report further said that President Asif Ali Zardari’s speech in Larkana on the 4th death anniversary of her wife and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, tried to low the temperature.
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