Pakistan Army angrily reacts to PM’s memo statement

Reacting angrily to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani’s allegation of bypassing the executive by army and intelligence chiefs, the pakistan army Wednesday warned that his remarks could result in dire consequences. “This has very serious ramifications with potentially grievous consequences for the Country,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated. The ISPR statement came in reaction to the Prime Minister’s allegations that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani and ISI chief Ahmad Shuja Pasha had submitted their statements in the memogate case without prior permission of the government. “There can be no allegation more serious than what the honourable Prime Minister has leveled against COAS and DG ISI and has unfortunately charged the officers for violation of the Constitution of the Country,” the statement said. The army said that the Prime Minister’s statement does not take into account several facts. The ISPR statement said that the army and the intelligence chiefs were cited as Respondents in the Memogate Petitions as such and after hearing the parties the Supreme Court served notices directly to the Respondents. It said the Attorney General of Pakistan did not raise objection in the Supreme Court, adding the responses by the respondents were sent to the Ministry of Defence for onward submission to the Supreme Court, through Attorney General/ Law Ministry. The statement said that a letter was also dispatched to the Attorney General of Pakistan and the honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan informing that the replies have been submitted to the Ministry of Defence. “It is emphasized that copies of the statements of the two Respondents were not forwarded directly to the Supreme Court. Responsibility for moving summaries and obtaining approvals of Competent Authority thereafter lay with the relevant ministries and not with the Respondents”. The ISPR said that it is also highlighted that after a meeting between the Prime Minister and the COAS, the Prime Minister had publicly stated through a press release of 16th December 2011 that the replies submitted were “in response to the notice of the Court through proper channel and in accordance with the rules of business.” The statement said that no objections were raised before and thereafter, on the legality and constitutional status of the replies, at any time, during the last more than three weeks of hearing of the case by the Supreme Court. The ISPR said that it is also categorically stated that COAS and DG ISI in their response to the Supreme Court were obliged to state facts as known to them, on the Memo Issue. “The issue of jurisdiction and maintainability of the Petitions was between the Supreme Court and the Federation”. The statement said that any expectation that COAS will not state the facts is neither constitutional nor legal, adding that allegiance to State and the Constitution is and will always remain prime consideration for the Respondent, who in this case has followed the book.