Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani are “seriously contemplating” the removal of powerful Army Chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani despite publicly reconciling with the general, official sources said.

Pakistan Government is seriously contemplating the removal of powerful army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and ISI head Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha against the backdrop of a standoff on a memo alleging an army plot to seize power, according to a media report on Monday.

Pakistan’s powerful Army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, on Friday ruled out any military coup, saying there was “no threat” to democracy.

Pakistan’s embattled Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday said conspirators were plotting to bring down his government and delivered an unprecedented tirade against the powerful military.

Discarded wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has sought permission from PCB to play in the 50-over Bangladesh Premier League after the board last week stopped its national players from participating in the competition.

Former President Pervez Musharraf has said that he plans to return to Pakistan in January, two months ahead of what he had announced previously, as a confrontation appears brewing between the army and the government over the memogate affair.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in the port city of Karachi late on Sunday night having spent two weeks in Dubai for medical treatment, the Geo News reported. He will resume his political activities from Monday, the report added.

Rejecting the notion that his government was in confrontation with army and judiciary over the memogate scandal, Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has said both the institutions were pro-democracy and did not want to derail the existing system.

In a strange move, the Pakistan Cricket Board has allowed nine of it's top players to sign up for the Bangladesh Twenty20 premier league ahead of the all-important series against England in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has for the first time acknowledged the existence of the memogate document describing it as conspiracy against his force as well as national security, and demanded a thorough probe.