ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday said that all state institutions including the Pakistan Army have assured the government to protect the Constitution and its supremacy. He told that Army is not interfering in current circumstances adding that situation has changed now and military is government’s institution,
Talking to media persons at lobby of the Parliament House, the defence minister said that there is no doubt in it that Army has assured the government over the protection of the Constitution.
He dismissed reports that government may use power to disperse sit-ins staged by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) outside the Parliament.
“Why should government use power against PAT and PTI when it did not use power against them in Lahore,” Asif said.
He said both the prime minister and chief minister Punjab are democratically elected and would not step down at any cost.
The defence minister said why should they resign on the demand of a party which has 35 seats in the National Assembly.
He claimed that Tahirul Qadri is backed by certain foreign powers who want to dismantle or capture Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.
“No one would be allowed to repeat the situation like Iraq, and Syria in Pakistan,” he warned.
