Pak says army, govt on same page on policy issues

The Pakistan Army and the government are "on the same page" on talks with the Pakistani Taliban and other policy issues, the country's interior minister today said but admitted that there has been an "irritant" lately that "we will get over".
Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan stressed that the army and government may have differences of opinion but there was no difference on policy issues.
"Army and government are on the same page. There might be differences of opinion but no differences on policy," Nisar said addressing a press conference here.
Asked by a journalist about a "recent statement from Rawalpindi", where the Army headquarters are based, Nisar said, "This is an irritant but we will get over it. That is the need of the hour, the need of the country. We will get over it. We owe it to the soldiers".

In unusually tough remarks, Pakistan Army chief Gen Raheel Sharif had on April 7 said that while the force upholds the sanctity of all institutions, it will resolutely preserve its own dignity and institutional pride.
The remarks came amid, what a military statement described as "undue criticism" of the Army, especially in context of the high treason trial of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

Gen Sharif, who has so far resisted from talking tough in the public domain, said, "While our country is faced with multiple internal and external challenges, Pakistan Army upholds the sanctity of all institutions and will resolutely preserve its own dignity and institutional pride".

The statement released by the military said Gen Sharif was responding "to the concerns of soldiers on undue criticism of the institution in recent days".
Meanwhile, Nisar also said that civil-military relationship has never been so positive in Pakistan.
"I have received 100 per cent cooperation from the armed forces," he said.
Nisar said it was wrong to say that the army was opposing the release of non-combatants. He pointed out that prisoners are in centres of the security forces.
"So how can prisoners be released without their consent?" he asked.