'No chance' of military coup in Pak: Gilani
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today said there was "no chance" of a military coup in Pakistan as the army desires democracy and stability in the country.
"I don't think there will be a coup in Pakistan ever. There is no threat to democracy," Gilani told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos in Switzerland.
No state institution, including the military, or the people of Pakistan want a coup and all stakeholders favour a democracy, he said.
There was "no chance" of a military takeover, he said.
Gilani's remarks came against the backdrop of the worst political crisis endured by his nearly four-year-old government – a stand off with the military over an alleged memo that had sought US help to prevent a possible coup after the killing of Osama bin Laden last year.
The premier spoke on a host of other issues, including Pakistan-US relations following the cross-border NATO air strike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November last year.
He described the incident as a "turning point" in ties that created a "bad taste".
Even before the NATO attack, there were a number of other incidents that had strained ties between the two countries to a large extent, he said.
On efforts to improve ties with India, Gilani said Pakistan desires good relations with all its neighbours and if New Delhi has any information about terrorist activities, it can be shared with Islamabad.
Described his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh as a "genuine person" who is desirous of resolving all issues with Pakistan, including the "core issue of Kashmir", Gilani said Pakistan was in the process "of normalising trade relations with India, which will benefit the people of both countries".
