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Gilani meets Kayani, Pasha; signs of easing tensions?

January 25, 2012 01:56 IST

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday held a meeting with the country's army and intelligence chiefs to discuss the regional security situation and the reconciliation process in Afghanistan, reflecting the easing of tensions between the civilian and the military leadership.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar too was present at Gilani's meeting with Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Inter-Services Intelligence head Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha at Gilani's house.

The leaders "held a detailed meeting to discuss the regional security situation", said a statement issued by the premier's office.

Observers said the meeting reflected the easing of tensions between the civilian government and the powerful military over an alleged memo that had sought US help to stave off a possible army takeover in Pakistan after the killing of Osama bin Laden in May last year.

A Supreme Court-appointed commission and a parliamentary panel are investigating the memo scandal.

Pakistan's former envoy to the US, Husain Haqqani, was forced to resign after Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz made the memo public though the government has said it played no role in drafting or delivering it to the US military.

Gilani on Tuesday also asked the foreign minister to undertake a visit to Afghanistan, the statement said, without specifying when Khar would make the trip.

"In the meeting, the ongoing reconciliation process in Afghanistan also came under discussion keeping in view the stability and security of the region," the statement said.

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