No clash between Army and government: PM

ISLAMABAD: Rejecting the notion of any clash between government and army or judiciary, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday expressed his confidence that both the institutions were pro-democracy and did not want derailment of system.

"Both the army and judiciary are pro-democracy and I am confident that they do not want derailment of system, as it takes years to put the system back on rail," Gilani said while talking to media-persons here at the Prime Minister House.

To a question about the replies submitted by the Chief of Army Staff and DG ISI to the Supreme Court in the memo case, the Prime Minister said since they were working under the ambit of government, their replies have been routed through the Ministry of Defence and the Office of Attorney General as per the laid procedure.

About the government's point of view on the Supreme Court's jurisdiction in the memo case, Gilani said it was a legal matter, which has to be resolved in the court.

To a question about Mansoor Ejaz, the Prime Minister remarked that since he (Mansoor Ejaz) was an alien and did not belong to Pakistan, the people should not be concerned about him and should only be concerned about our country.

The Prime Minister referred to the affidavit filed by the former US National Security Advisor Gen. James Jones in the Supreme Court of Pakistan and said that, "after the letter of James Jones, this matter should now end".

Ruling any possibility of an overnight change, the Prime Minister said the change would only come through the elections and "not through any care-taker or chair-taker".

The Prime Minister stressed the need of national unity to tackle the challenges facing the country. (APP)