Against the backdrop of divergent stands adopted by Pakistan's civilian government and military on the Memogate scandal in the Supreme Court, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Friday rejected the impression of a ‘standoff’ between the two sides on the issue.
Following a meeting with the army chief that lasted over three hours, Gilani said he had taken ‘serious note of the rumours regarding a confrontation’ over the issue of the alleged secret memo and that he ‘strongly rejected the notion’.
A statement issued by the premier's office quoted Gilani and Kayani as saying that responses submitted by the military to the apex court ‘should not be misconstrued as a standoff between the army and the government’.
In an indication that the government was keen to address any differences with the military over the Memogate scandal, the statement said: "The Prime Minister and the army chief underscored the significance of national unity to address the challenges faced by the nation."
The differing stands adopted by the government and the military on the scandal became evident in replies submitted by them to the Supreme Court on Thursday.
Gen Kayani and Inter-Services Intelligence agency chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, in their responses, sought an inquiry into the memo that was sent to the US military seeking help to prevent a feared coup in Pakistan in May.
The government, in its reply, asked the apex court to dismiss a batch of petitions seeking an inquiry into the controversy.