Islamabad: Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani says the army wants democracy to flourish in the country and had not interfered in the process of parliament`s lower house adopting a bill to drastically reduce the powers of President Asif Ali Zardari.
"It is a very clear thing that the army interfered in the politics of the country from 1985 to 2002. Now the army wants promotion of democratic process in the country and it is now supporting the stability of democratic norms in the country," Online news agency quoted Gilani as saying while addressing a luncheon hosted by National Assembly speaker Fahmida Mirza for the parliamentary committee for constitutional reforms here Friday.
"The introduction of illegal amendments in the constitution in the past was a black chapter of the history of the country," Gilani said, adding, that the possibility of further improvements in the constitution could not be ruled out.
Holding that economic stability would remain elusive without political stability, the prime minister said: "No clash would take place if all the institutions continued to work within the ambit of constitution."
The National Assembly Thursday abolished the president`s special powers, including the right to dissolve parliament and appoint the service chiefs, after it unanimously approved the termination of the 17th amendment to the constitution.
"The impossible has been made possible by the house today," Prime Minister Gilani told lawmakers after they voted unanimously in favour of the 18th constitution amendment.
The 17th Amendment to the constitution had been introduced by former president Pervez Musharraf.
IANS
