Pakistan president in Dubai for brief visit: aide

Islamabad: Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari was in Dubai on Thursday for a brief visit to attend a wedding and possibly have a health check, a close aide told AFP.

The trip, which the aide said would last one day, comes as the government faces a worsening row with the country’s powerful military and is embroiled in court proceedings that could threaten the top civilian leaders.

“President has gone to Dubai to attend a wedding and may also have routine medical check-up,” the aide told AFP.

“He will return tomorrow (Friday),” he said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to media.

The aide said that it was a “private visit” and not linked to the ongoing crisis.

Zardari, who has a long-standing heart condition, spent more than a week in a Dubai hospital for treatment last month.