Shujaat, Elahi conveyed PM’s ire to Kayani

Shujaat and Elahi tell army chief that Gilani does not want confrontation.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi reportedly held a meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani during the height of the military-government standoff, Express News reported on Saturday.

According to Express News, the senior PML-Q leaders had also met with the Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari to discuss sensitive issues and arrange a meeting with the army chief.

During the meeting, Kayani was informed of Gilani’s reservations over the defence secretary’s contentious statement presented to the Supreme Court in the Memogate case, and that the prime minister was in favour of a consensus over the issue. It may be recalled that a top official of the federal government on Thursday had disowned the defence ministry’s reply, which stated that the government only had administrative control over the military. The secretary’s reply had also stated that the ministry could not submit any reply on behalf of the army or ISI.

The Chaudhry brothers added that despite Gilani’s disapproval, he wanted to steer clear from any confrontations.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2011.