Pakistan Army is pro-democracy, assures Gilani

Dec 18, 2011 |

IANS

Islamabad

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Rejecting the notion of any clash between the government and army or judiciary, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said the army as well as the judiciary are pro-democracy.

His comments came after army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani told the Supreme Court that a secret memo had indeed been sent to Washington that said President Asif Ali Zardari feared a military coup.

Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz had revealed about the secret memo, leading to the resignation of Pakistan's envoy to the US Hussain Haqqani.

Zardari had feared a military coup after the May 2 killing of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad and had appealed for US help, according to the memo. Coup rumours resurfaced strongly following the abrupt departure of Zardari to Dubai over a heart ailment Dec 6.

Gilani Saturday expressed his confidence that both the government and army were pro-democracy and did not want derailment of the system.

"Both the army and judiciary are pro-democracy and I am confident that they do not want derailment of system, as it takes years to put the system back on rail," Associated Press of Pakistan quoted Gilani as saying.

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