{"id":49447,"date":"2014-04-14T14:10:56","date_gmt":"2014-04-14T11:10:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nationalturk.com\/en\/?p=49447"},"modified":"2014-04-14T14:10:56","modified_gmt":"2014-04-14T11:10:56","slug":"after-row-with-army-pakistan-defence-minister-may-lose-job-49447","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationalturk.com\/en\/after-row-with-army-pakistan-defence-minister-may-lose-job-49447\/","title":{"rendered":"After row with army, Pakistan defence minister may lose job"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Pakistan\u2019s
Pakistan\u2019s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif: File Pic<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pakistan\u2019s defence minister Khawaja Asif may lose his job for making anti-army statement.<\/h1>\n

Islamabad, April 14\/Nationalturk- After his anti-army statement, which angered the powerful institution in Pakistan, country\u2019s defence minister Khawaja Asif may lose his job as pressure is building on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to sack him.<\/p>\n

Khawaja had targeted the army while criticising Pakistan\u2019s former military ruler and president General (Retd) Parvez Musharraf, who is facing treason trial.<\/p>\n

He had said Musharraf had betrayed his oath as a soldier and also termed him traitor. His statement was damaging the institution of the military and undermining troop morale.<\/p>\n

Asif holds the portfolios for defence and water and power ministry.<\/p>\n

His statement prompted Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif, who was handpicked by PM Nawaz Sharif, to issue a strong worded statement saying, \u201cPakistan Army upholds the sanctity of all institutions and would resolutely preserve its own dignity and institutional pride\u201d.<\/p>\n

In response to General\u2019s statement, Pakistan defence minister said, \u201cParliament is the supreme organ of the state and all other institutions are accountable to it. Parliament was a supreme organ of the state and that it would preserve its dignity and also respect all the other institutions\u201d.<\/p>\n

Army top brass not happy with Defence Minister<\/h2>\n

Sources said army top brass had expressed its resentment with PM over Defence Minister\u2019s statement and demanded his head.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a growing feeling within the military that his presence may not auger well for a \u2018smooth\u2019 civil-military relationship.\u00a0 It is not easy for the army to work with a defence minister who is making such unwarranted statements,\u201d a security official was quoted as saying by Pakistan newspaper, Express Tribune.<\/p>\n

Sources said Prime Minister Nawaz may keep the defence ministry\u2019s portfolio with himself. He was holding it before giving the portfolio to Khawaja Asif.<\/p>\n

Pakistan\u2019s Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has admitted for the first time that there was rift between military and the government.<\/p>\n

\u201cIrritants have been created at some stages but we will get over them and we are right on the line,\u201d the minister said.<\/p>\n

Musharraf\u2019s party demands sacking of Khawaja Asif<\/h3>\n

Musharraf\u2019s party \u00a0The All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) has demanded the defence minister\u2019s resignation.<\/p>\n

\u201cAsif\u2019s position had become untenable and his presence as defence minister was detrimental to the morale of the Armed Forces,\u201d Chaudhry Sarfraz Anjum Kahlon – political advisor to Musharraf \u2013 has said.<\/p>\n

Pakistan\u2019s senior politician and PML-Q President, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has demanded action against the ministers who are making statements against army.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe constitution allows action against those individuals who make statements against the judiciary and army,\u201d he had said adding country\u2019s former military ruler Parvez Musharraf was not a traitor.<\/p>\n

Write your comments and thoughts below<\/em><\/p>\n

Asia News<\/b>\/ NationalTurk Pakistan News<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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