Pakistan's PM Denies Plans To Sack Generals

Published December 27, 2011 4:54AM (EST)

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan's prime minister has denied reports that he plans to sack the country's powerful army and intelligence chiefs amid tension with the military over a secret memo scandal.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said late Monday he did not view the generals as a threat to democracy, contradicting statements he made last week.

The current scandal centers around a memo sent to Washington in May asking for help in stopping a supposed military coup in the wake of the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

Local media reports speculated that Gilani might try to sack army chief Gen. Pervez Ashfaq Kayani and the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence agency, Lt. Gen. Shuja Pasha, to neutralize the threat to his government.


By Salon Staff

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