The government and the president's family convinced Zardari to go to Dubai for treatment because there was a risk he would be attacked if he was admitted to a Pakistani hospital, Gilani said while speaking in the senate or upper house of parliament on Wednesday.

"He was ill, he feared life threats in Pakistani hospitals -- that was the reason he did not want to go to any hospital of Pakistan," Gilani said.

"We persuaded him, we convinced him, his family convinced him to go to Dubai," he said.

Zardari, 56, was admitted to the American Hospital in Dubai on December 6 to be treated for a heart condition and was discharged on Wednesday.

Zardari will be spending some more time in Dubai recuperating at his private villa in the emirate.

Gilani had recently referred to threats faced by Zardari's late father when he was admitted to a hospital in Islamabad earlier this year and said the president could have faced similar threats.