ISLAMABAD : Chief of Pakistan Army has rejected any plans of taking over the country and pledged to continue supporting democracy, reiterating it was not planning a takeover as tensions grew over a controversial memo alleging an army plot to seize power.
General Ashfaq Kayani while addressing the troops said that the military will continue to support democracy in Pakistan and that any talk the army was planning to take over was “speculation”.
Pakistanis wonder whether Zardari can survive the crisis, and speculation has been growing the powerful generals will try to oust him somehow. The tension is a worrying sign for the region and for Pakistan’s uneasy relationship with its key ally, the United States.
Zardari, known for his resilience in the face of pressure, has no intention of leaving, a senior member of his ruling party said.
“The current information is there is no such plan. He is very much here,” the official, Shazia Marri, told Reuters.
“It’s all speculation, and such speculation has proven baseless in the past as well,” Marri said.
Pakistan’s top judge earlier moved to allay fears of a possible military coup as tensions rose.
“There is no question of a takeover. Gone are the days when people used to get validation for unconstitutional steps from the courts,” Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry said.
