Pakistan: Military vs. Government

Pakistan's military has issued threats upon it's own government, stating "This has very serious ramifications with potentially grievous consequences for the country." after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was critical of how the military has handled the political situation.

Since gaining independence in 1947, the military has maintained a majority of control in the country. Already have three coups within that time. After Osama bin Laden was killed in the country, last May, the Prime Minister had asked the United States to protect Pakistan from yet a fourth, but nothing came out of the threats then.

 Defense secretary Naeem Khalid Lodhi has been removed from his position by Prime Minister Gilani, for "gross misconduct". Lodhi was considered to be much more loyal to the military than the Pakistani government, and is accused of trying to cause strife between the two.

Pakistan's military has on various and increasing occasions involved itself in fire fights against United States and NATO forces, bringing real question to the strength of their cooperation against Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. The finding of bin Laden near one of the main Pakistani military bases only highlighted that not all was going well.