Pakistan's Army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Friday said his force would back democracy and dismissed speculation of a military takeover as “misleading,” saying they are being used as a “bogey” to divert the focus from “real issues.”
The statement came a day after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani warned that conspiracies were being hatched to “pack up” his democratically elected government. cognisant
The Army chief “reiterated that the Pakistan Army would continue to support democratic process in the country“.
“The Army is fully cognizant of its constitutional obligations and responsibilities,” an army statement on Friday quoted Kayani as saying during his visit to the forward posts in Mohmand and Kurram tribal regions.
However, Inter-Services Public Relations' statement said: “He [Kayani] strongly dispelled the speculation of any military takeover and said these are misleading and are being used as a bogey to divert the focus from the real issues.” The statement did not elaborate what the “real issues” were.
Gen. Kayani emphasised that the issues of national security must be considered on merit alone. “Irrespective of all other considerations, there can be no compromise on national security.”
