Recent positive messaging between the top military and civilian leadership has helped normalise tensions between the two sides but the fate of Defence Secretary Lt General (r) Naeem Kahlid Lodhi hangs in the balance as Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani decides to summon and hear the retired general before taking any decision about him.
A well-placed source told Pakistan Today on Saturday that Gilani had decided not to take any action without hearing the defence secretary and it was likely that the secretary would be summoned by the prime minister next week probably after the death anniversary of former PPP chairwoman Benazir Bhutto on December 27.
When approached for comments, Lodhi said he had not received a show cause notice from the prime minister. The source said after the recent messaging, it was understood that the memo controversy would also be left with the Parliamentary Committee on National Security which was fit to resolve the mystery behind memo. “Since the memo case is a political issue and not a question of law, the apex court may leave the probe matter with the parliamentary committee on national security on the basis that the politicians should resolve political matters,” the source said.
The source said the controversy between military and civilian leadership of the country had triggered due to a sequence of press releases issued by the ISPR.
“In a three-hour meeting between the prime minister and the army chief, future course of action had been decided. It was decided that the replies of army chief and director general of the inter-services intelligence (ISI) would be routed through the Defence Ministry. It was also decided that their statements would be later sent to prime minister’s house and later would be submitted by the federation. However, this procedure was not adopted later,” said the source.
The source said after the meeting, Gilani had briefed the media on the agreement reached between the two. However, later a press release issued by the ISPR said a telephonic conversation between the president and the army chief was only for one minute. This also played as a spoiler and the prime minister took it as offense. Later, the statement by the defence secretary about the jurisdiction of the Defence Ministry further tested Gilani’s nerves as it challenged the civilian authority.
“Still, the last press release was also vague as the army chief reiterated commitment to democratic process but it was yet to be stated that army was under the prime minister,” asserted the source.
Gilani to hear defence secretary before deciding his fate
