Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has left for Dubai on a private visit, reports reveal. Zardari's departure comes amid a deepening political crisis within the military. Sources tell the Indian news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) that Zardari was expected to attend a wedding in Dubai, where he has a private residence and will be returning on January 13. Meanwhile, in Pakistan tensions are running high because of issues between the government and its armed forces, which are very powerful, having raised fears for the stability of the country with a history of military coups.

Several senior government officials are also expected to attend the same wedding. This is Zardari's second visit to Dubai since the memo issue triggered a confrontation between the government and the military. Zardari travelled to Dubai on December 6 and remained there for nearly a fortnight for treatment of a heart condition. Zardari's trip triggered speculation that he was under pressure from Pakistan's very powerful military force to step down. Zardari, on the other hand, has made it clear that he has no intention of quitting as president.

Dubbed as the "Memogate Scandal," Zardari came under fire after Pakistani American businessman Mansoor Ijaz alleged that the civilian leadership in Pakistan apprehended a coup by the army after the United States raid in Abbottabad on May 2nd last year which led to the death of Osama bin Laden. Ijaz had further alleged that in the wake of these fears the civilian government used his contacts in the US administration through Hussain Haqqani, the then Pakistani ambassador in Washington DC, for having a memo sent to Admiral Mike Mullen, the then chairman, US joint chiefs of staff, seeking US intervention to prevent a coup.

The Pakistani government dismissed the memo as a "piece of paper" and said the President and Prime Minister played no role in drafting or delivering it to former Admiral Mullen. Pakistan's military, which was left deeply humiliated by the discovery of Bin Laden on Pakistani soil and the secret US operation to kill him - has been incensed by the affair. The army and ISI chiefs urged the Supreme Court to order an investigation into the scandal. The apex court formed a three-judge commission to investigate the memo issue and submit its findings in four weeks.

This scandal has already cost, Husain Haqqani, his job, though he denies his role in the memo. Zardari could be forced to quit if the trail is found to lead to his door steps.