Premier talks up harmony with army

In a bid to defuse tension between the civilian government and the nation's powerful military, whose relations are at their lowest since 1999, Pakistan's prime minister struck a conciliatory tone with the army chief at a defence committee meeting. "Our government and parliament, and above all our patriotic people, have stood fully behind our brave armed forces and security personnel," Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said.
"It has been my government's policy to allow and enable all state institutions to play their role in their respective domains," he added.