Pakistan's army chief denied accusations that the military is working to oust the country's civilian government

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's army chief denied accusations that the military is working to oust the country's civilian government amid tension over a secret memo sent to Washington earlier this year about an alleged coup, the military said Friday.

The memo scandal has heightened long-standing tensions between the army and the government at a time when the country is struggling to deal with a violent Taliban insurgency, a faltering economy and deteriorating relations with its most important ally, the United States.