Assertive Sharif rules out Opposition threat

Sharif8217;s recation came almost simultaneously with the comment of a senior US official from New York that 8220;we strongly oppose any attempt to change the government through extra-constitutional means8221;.

The comment by the US official came in the backdrop of country-wide agitations by the opposition parties against the Sharif Government and reports that the differences between the government and the army are widening and the media speculating about a possible change.

The largest circulated Urdu daily Jung in a report from Washingtonquoted a State Department official as saying that the possibility of a change in Pakistan cannot be ruled out and that even a civilian government can declare martial law in the country.

The newspaper said when the attention of State Department official was drawn towards the report from New York, he said the United States would not support any extra-constitutional change in Pakistan.

But, when the State Department official was asked whether the US is against the imposition of martial law in Pakistan in the light of the fact that Nawaz Sharif has through constitutional amendments already removed all constitutional methods of change, he replied,8220;it depends on who announces it the imposition of martial law, even a civilian government can announce this.8221;

In another report from Washington, the Jung quoting US officials said that earlier this month the Nawaz Sharif Government sent a feeler to the White House to help it overcome the domestic financial crisis. It argued that the government is facingthis crisis because it withdrew from Kargil on the advice of the United States and the opposition is now using that against the government.