8:22 AM
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar in an interview admitted that the memogate scandal had raised questions over the government’s authority in handling the state’s affairs.
In the interview with the BBC, Khar termed the allegations of President Asif Ali Zardari’s involvement in the scandal as ‘ridiculous’.
She said the scandal would be investigated impartially and at the highest level so that all political parties and people could be satisfied.
The minister further said that the controversy had created the feeling that the army was pulling the levers of power.
“Sadly it does. I cannot deny that, and that’s an unfortunate part that something as ludicrous as this could raise more questions. It doesn't take much to be able to raise those questions.”
Answering a question over who was in charge of the state’s affairs — the civilian government or the military leadership, she replied that it was “an evolutionary process”.
“You cannot change things overnight. The army has had a larger-than-life role to play in Pakistan’s history. However, you do have a democratic set up,” she told the BBC.
The foreign minster refused to comment on recent reports of talks between the government and the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
On Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan, she said Pakistan could help in bringing peace in Afghanistan but it could not guarantee anything.
Khar said she was not concerned about the fact that some in the US Congress wanted to cut off aid to Pakistan over the Haqqani network.
“No, I am not worried about that risk,” she said.
Posted in: NATIONAL
