Embattled Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday night appeared to reach out to the powerful army by stating that all state institutions will be allowed to play their role in an apparent bid to resolve the tense stand off between the government and the military.
With Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani by his side, he described the armed forces as a ‘pillar of nation's resilience and strength’ and lauded their services in the defence of the country.
"It has been my government's policy to allow and enable all state institutions to play their role in their respective domains for the common good of the people,” he said.
"It is this desire to set good and healthy democratic traditions that has enabled us to seek strength from Parliament, which is the hallmark of a democratic government," Gilani said at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Defence attended by his ministers and top army officials including Kayani.
The Prime Minister's seemingly conciliatory remarks came on a day when Kayani met President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency, in the midst of a tense stand-off between the military and the government over a move purportedly on behalf of Zardari seeking US help to avert an army coup.