Thursday, August 07, 2008

Musharraf now irrelevant, Gilani told Bush

Musharraf now irrelevant, Gilani told Bush
The News, August 07, 2008
Replies to criticism of his US performance
By Rauf Klasra

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Wednesday he had told the Americans in clear words that President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was quite “irrelevant” to Pakistan and that the Bush administration had shown its strong willingness to work closely with him as the head of the new politically-elected government.

In an exclusive interview with The News in his office, PM Gilani said in the same breath he had also told the Americans that the people of Pakistan did not appreciate them, only because they had been supporting the military dictators in the country.

PM Gilani also defended his decision to visit the US within the first three months of his office and said it was wrong to assume that he had undertaken the visit at a wrong time. Gilani said he had informed the Americans who were asking questions about the “effectiveness” of Musharraf that he was only a “ceremonial” head of state as the real power to run the government was with the prime minister of Pakistan.

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