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ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari threw his weight on Monday behind beleaguered Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani against any attempts to destabilise his government after a key partner quit the ruling coalition.
The opposition has not yet sought a no-confidence vote against Gilani in parliament but analysts said that was the biggest worry for the prime minister as he scrambled to shore up support.
Gilani's government lost its parliamentary majority on Sunday when the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) announced it would go into opposition over government fuel price policies that it said were “unbearable” for Pakistanis.
The political upheaval comes at a time when the United States has increased pressure on Pakistan to go after militant groups to help it turn around the faltering war in Afghanistan.
It adds to the Pakistani government's problems at home as it struggles to meet demands placed on it by the International Monetary Fund, including politically sensitive tax reforms, in return for the remaining tranches of an $11 billion loan.
“(Zardari) has full confidence in Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and solidly stands behind him in foiling any attempt to destabilise the coalition government,” presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said in a statement.
The president and prime minister are from the same political party and both would be loath to see an early general election.
The government is 12 seats short of the number it would need to survive a no-confidence vote.
