Pak Presidency rejects Army’s concerns over Kerry Lugar Bill

ISLAMABAD - It what may give rise to a serious altercation between the Army and the government, the Pakistan Presidency has dismissed the objections raised by the Armed Forces over the Kerry Lugar Bill.

Asif Ali Zardari’s spokesperson, Farhatullah Babar, said there are established channels for the Pakistan Army to express its views.

“The appropriate forum to express such views is the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) or the Ministry of Defence,” Babar said.

Despite the wide scale criticism the bill has received both from the political parties and the military, the Presidency maintains that American legislation is neither against Pakistan’s national interest nor does is hurt its sovereignty.

Following the Corps Commanders meeting in Rawalpindi, in which the Army’s top brass objected to the conditionalities attached with the bill, speculations were rife that Zardari was thinking of sacking Chief Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani.

However, Babar dismissed such reports terming them as ‘fictional’, The News reports.

Babar said both Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani do not consider the Kerry-Lugar Bill as being against Pakistan’s national interests and they had already expressed their opinions on the bill. (ANI)