Saifullah Sani
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistans prime minister telephoned the top British diplomat in the country this week expressing fears that the Pakistani army might be about to stage a coup, a British official and an official in Islamabad said Friday.
The call, which one official said was panicky, suggests there was or perhaps still is a genuine fear at the highest level of the Pakistani government that army might carry out a coup or support possible moves by the Supreme Court to topple the civilian leadership.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani asked High Commissioner Adam Thomson for Britain to support his embattled government, according to the officials, who didnt give their names because of the sensitivity of the issue. Its unclear if the British government took any action.
Such is the weakness of state institutions, Pakistani leaders have often looked to foreign powers, especially the United States and Gulf countries, to intervene in domestic affairs, mediate disputes between feuding power centers or guarantee agreements between them.
PM Gilani called UK, fearing coup: official | Pakistan | DAWN.COM
The call, which one official said was panicky, suggests there was or perhaps still is a genuine fear at the highest level of the Pakistani government that army might carry out a coup or support possible moves by the Supreme Court to topple the civilian leadership.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani asked High Commissioner Adam Thomson for Britain to support his embattled government, according to the officials, who didnt give their names because of the sensitivity of the issue. Its unclear if the British government took any action.
Such is the weakness of state institutions, Pakistani leaders have often looked to foreign powers, especially the United States and Gulf countries, to intervene in domestic affairs, mediate disputes between feuding power centers or guarantee agreements between them.
PM Gilani called UK, fearing coup: official | Pakistan | DAWN.COM