Zardari, Kayani never talked to each other on night of May 1, May 2: Spokespersons

Statements issued by Presidency, ISPR refute Ijaz's statements that Zardari talked to Kayani during Abbottabad raid.

ISLAMABAD: Following statements of Mansoor Ijaz to reporters in London on Friday, both, the President, and the army in Pakistan denied that Asif Ali Zardari, and Kayani had talked on the night of May 1 and May 2.

Mansoor Ijaz had on Friday, told reporters outside the Pakistan High Commission, that Zardari had spoken to Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani when US helicopters infiltrated Pakistani territory, and ordered Pakistani jets to stand down.

Spokesperson to the President, Senator-elect Farhatullah Babar in a statement on Saturday dismissed as "absolutely untrue and unfounded," media reports about President Asif Ali Zardari's phone call to army chief on the night of May-2 raid on Osama BinLaden.

"A section of the media has carried reports implying that President Asif Ali Zardari had through a phone call, on the night ofMay-2 raid on Osama bin Laden, informed the army chief that the operation had been conducted with his approval."

The statement issued from the Presidency dismissed the reports as “absolutely untrue and unfounded."

For its part, Kayani too issued a statement through his public media arm, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The statement read “Referring to the statement of Mr Mansoor Ijaz as reported in the media, there was no telephone conversation between the President and the COAS on the night between 1 and May 2, 2011.

The spokesman further said that the “Military leadership has briefed the joint  session of the Parliament  as well as the Abbottabad Commission on the subject matter and there is nothing more to add to it.”