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ISLAMABAD: The controversy revolving the govt-military differences resulting with the removal of former Secretary Defense Lt.Gen (r) Khalid Naeem Lodhi is still unfolding with new disclosures.
Among them is that Army Chief Kayani had spoken sixteen minutes to Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on 11th January and expressed the military’s displeasure over his statement against him and the Chief of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) during his visit to China, sources privy to the details revealed to Dawn.Com here on Thursday.
“Soon after the 102nd Cabinet meeting, which was presided over by Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, he received a call from the Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani informing him about his institutions displeasure over the statement of the Prime Minister,” an eye witness said.
Almost two days back, Prime Minister Gilani in an interview to Online China Daily had termed Chief of Army Staff Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and DG ISI General Ahmed Shuja Pasha’s depositions in the Supreme Court in the memogate case as illegal.
The civilian govt and the powerful Army, in Pakistan are currently going through a serious crisis in their relations after the publication of an article in a western newspaper by American businessman Mansoor Ijaz ,who claimed that he was contacted by Hussain Haqqani, former Pakistani Ambassador to Washington, for allegedly passing a memo to US authorities seeking to thwart a possible military coup, which was likely after the Osama Bin Laden’s killing in Abbotabad, 56 kilometers from Islamabad.
The sources claim that in the same telephonic conversation Army Chief Gen. Kayani also gave signal to Prime Minister Gilani to take back his statement however the PM politely refused.
This was the same call in which the Army Chief informed Gilani that he was issuing a statement against the interview of the prime minister.
The sources claim that the moments after the telephonic conversation Prime Minister Gilani saw the television screen where a private news channel was airing the statement of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) warning the civilian govt of “ Serious ramifications with potentially grievous consequences for the country”.
Soon after watching the statement on television, Prime Minister Gilani directed Khushnood Lashari, the Principle Secretary, for the removal of Secretary Defense Lt.Gen (r) Khalid Naeem Lodhi. Meanwhile the prime minister also asked his press secretary to immediately issue a press release regarding his orders for the removal of the secretary defense.
The sources claim that the PM did not consult the President Asif Ali Zardari regarding the immediate removal of the secretary defense.
Interestingly almost half an hour ago the same day on January 11th 2012, the secretary defense had given a briefing to the federal cabinet on survey of Pakistan Amendment Bill 2011. Sources claim at that Prime Minister Gilani never gave an impression during the meeting that he would be sacked soon after the meeting.
