LONDON: President Asif Ali Zardari has not suffered a stroke nor offered to resign, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told the BBC Sunday following rumours the head of state would step down.
The 56-year-old Zardari flew to the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday after falling ill in the midst of a major scandal over alleged attempts by a close aide to seek US help to limit the power of Pakistan's military.
"There was no stroke," Gilani said in an interview with the BBC World News.
"He is improving and he is now out of ICU and he has been shifted to his room and I think he will take rest for about two weeks," he said.
Zardari has a long-standing heart condition and was admitted to the American Hospital in Dubai.
A cabinet member said earlier in the week that Zardari suffered a "minor heart attack" but a senior member of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) told AFP on Friday that the cause was "most likely a transient ischemic attack", or mini stroke.
Medics say there is no lasting damage from a transient ischemic attack, but that it is an indicator of a possible stroke in the future.
Gilani also said he had talked with Zardari.
"He sounded very well. I did talk to him, and he has been talking to other cabinet ministers as well, to his son, to everybody," he said, adding that the president had been exhausted but was improving.
"Why should he write?" Gilani told the BBC. "He has the backing and support of the entire parliament."
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