As tensions between the government and the powerful military continued to simmer, Pakistan's top leadership on Friday fired yet another salvo saying Parliament was “supreme” and state institutions were “answerable” to it and asked them not to “trespass” into the “domain of others“.
A two-hour long meeting of Federal Ministers and top Pakistan People's Party leaders jointly chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani reviewed the political situation and maintained that “Parliament was supreme and state institutions were answerable to it”.
The PPP leadership “reiterated that all institutions of the state have to work within the ambit of the Constitution without trespassing into domain of others”, said presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar in a statement.
The PPP “believes in and will continue to act upon the principle that power belongs to the people and to nobody else”, the meeting decided.
The meeting was held a day after Mr. Gilani launched a scathing attack on the military, saying it was unacceptable for the Army to consider itself a “state within a state”.
Mr. Gilani on Thursday said conspiracies were being hatched to “pack up” his government and questioned the military's failure to detect Osama bin Laden's presence for six years.
In an apparent response to the Premier's remarks, Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani dismissed speculation about a military takeover . He said the Army would continue to back democracy though there would be “no compromise on national security”.
The meeting of the PPP's top leadership reviewed the overall political situation “with special reference to the most recent developments”, said Mr. Babar. The Premier gave a “comprehensive briefing on the overall situation”.
The PPP's leadership “reiterated its unswerving commitment to the principles of parliamentary sovereignty, constitutionalism and rule of law” and said the party and the government “will uphold these principles under all circumstances”.
The meeting “reposed full confidence in the leadership” of Mr. Zardari and Mr. Gilani.
The meeting also discussed arrangements for a rally to be held in Sindh on December 27 to mark the death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto.
Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, former Law Minister Babar Awan, Fouzia Wahab and Ambassador-designate to U.S. Sherry Rehman were among those who attended the meeting.
