Zardari asks world to help Pakistan’s democracy
November 19th, 2011 - 12:36 pm ICT by IANSIslamabad, Nov 19 (IANS) Government efforts to strengthen democracy need to be complemented by the international community, said President Asif Ali Zardari who has been cited in a secret memo as fearing a military coup.
Zardari Friday said efforts of the government to strengthen democracy needed to be complemented by the international community so that the democratic procedures in the country were further strengthened, reported Associated Press of Pakistan.
He was interacting with a delegation of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) headed by president Kenneth Wollack.
Pakistani businessman Mansoor Ijaz alleged in a column in the Financial Times last month that a senior Pakistani diplomat asked for help in getting a message from Zardari to then chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen.
Ijaz alleged that Zardari feared a military takeover following the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in May.
Wollack briefed Zardari about various NDI activities for strengthening democracy in various countries of the world, particularly in Pakistan.
Zardari said democracy was the only option for people in Pakistan as a bulwark against many ills, including extremism, poverty, deprivation and a militant mindset.
He said only democracy serves the purpose of real empowerment of the downtrodden and poor people.
- Memo scandal: Court dismisses plea against Mansoor Ijaz - Jan 18, 2012
- Memogate: Never met or knew Ijaz, says Mullen - Nov 22, 2011
- Husain Haqqani heads for Pakistan - Nov 19, 2011
- Explanation sought on Mullen memo: Gilani - Nov 18, 2011
- Haqqani ready to face memo probe, mulls legal action - Nov 21, 2011
- Zardari spokesperson's email hacked - Nov 24, 2011
- Probe into memo will be made public: minister - Nov 24, 2011
- Haqqani discusses secret memo with Zardari - Nov 20, 2011
- Provide security to Mansoor Ijaz: Pakistan judicial panel - Jan 24, 2012
- Zardari, Gilani, Kayani discuss secret memo to US - Nov 17, 2011
- Mullen confirms Zardari feared military coup - Nov 17, 2011
- Threat call for Mansoor Ijaz's daughter - Mar 14, 2012
- Ex-Pakistani official refuses to head memo probe - Dec 03, 2011
- Memo issue will grow bigger and bigger, says Pakistani daily - Nov 25, 2011
- Sherry Rehman appointed Pakistan's envoy to US - Nov 23, 2011
Tags: asif ali zardari, bulwark, chairman of the us joint chiefs of staff, chiefs of staff, countries of the world, democratic procedures, financial times, government efforts, ills, islamabad, joint chiefs of staff, mike mullen, military coup, military takeover, mindset, national democratic institute, osama bin laden, pakistani diplomat, president kenneth, secret memo