Pakistan’s military-public relations department – ISPR has issued a statement that last Sunday Dec 16, the telephone conversation between President Zardari and Army Chief General Kayani lasted for one minute during which the General asked about the president’s health. This statement itself speaks volumes of the relationship between a civilian government and one of its organ –army. Regardless of the ballot power with which the civilian government is installed in Islamabad, the power of the gun remains the supreme. What was the harm if we were caught with the misunderstanding that these two gentlemen talked to each other for a longer duration? That could have helped to stabalise the political uncertainty in the country —- the country whose Central Bank has just announced the annual growth rate for 2011 as low as 2.4%.
MASOOD KHAN,
Saudi Arab, December21.