ISLAMABAD- Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said today that all state institutions, including Pakistan Army, have assured the government of protection of the Constitution and its supremacy.

"There is no doubt in it that army has assured the government over the protection of the Constitution", the federal defense minister told media personnel present at the lobby of the Parliament House. He dismissed reports that government may use power to disperse sit ins staged by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-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. Khawaja Asif said both Prime Minister and Chief Minister Punjab are democratically elected and would not step down at any cost. The defense 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 was backed by certain foreign powers who want to dismantle or capture Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. "No one would be allowed to repeat situation like Iraq, and Syria in Pakistan ", he warned.
The PTI and PAT have been staging anti-government rallies in the federal capital city's Red zone area against alleged rigging during the general elections held in May 2013 and corruption in the country.