Islamabad, Sep 10 (IANS) Pakistan’s army ‘neither intends to come to power, nor it will come’ and the country’s elected government will complete its tenure, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said.
‘The Army neither intends to come to power, nor it will come. The judiciary is independent and pro-democratic. Despite this if some people are engaged in such a debate, they are wasting their time,’ Gilani said in an informal talk with mediapersons at his official residence Thursday.
According to Geo TV, the prime minister said the present government has come to power after rendering sacrifices and winning elections and ‘the mandate of people should be respected’.
Some people were wrong in their thinking that army intends to come to power, the prime minister said, responding to a query related to a statement by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain.
The MQM leader had accused the Pakistan Peoples’ Party-led government of having failed to handle flood relief operation in the country and called on the army generals to take action against corrupt politicians.
Gilani wondered why the army should give any clarification on the statement of Altaf Hussain, and added: ‘The clarification should come from those who gave the statement, and they have already done it.’
The media, the masses and the political parties were clear that democracy is the need of the country and that the world would not accept any undemocratic move, he said.
The Army was taking part in the flood relief activities on the government’s request, Gilani said, adding that those who consider army and the government as two separate entities were living in a fools’ paradise.
The prime minister also said that owing to the devastation caused by floods in the country, Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated with simplicity and he will visit the flood relief camps on the occasion.
