Islamabad, Jan 13 (IANS) Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik Friday said the army and the government were united and “no breakdown has taken place between the two institutions”.

Pakistan politics were thrown in turmoil after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani sacked defence secretary Naeem Khalid Lodhi for “misconduct and unlawful steps he took” in the memo case. Later, the Inter-Services Public Relations, the military’s media arm, issued a statement warning the government of “serious ramifications” and “grievous consequences for the country”.

“There is no crisis in the country. The army and the government are united and no breakdown has taken place between the two institutions,” Malik was quoted as saying by the Online news agency.

“Ups and downs come in politics. Propaganda has been unleashed against the government. People have given a five-year mandate to the government,” he said.

Stating that polls will be held as scheduled, he said parliament, the judiciary and government were working within their constitutional parameters.

However, everyone has the right to speak, and this was the beauty of democracy, he said.