Zardari facing challenges, but no threat to civilian Govt in Pak: US - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Though Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in under tremendous pressure to step down, the United States believes that there is no threat to the democratic government in that country. Addressing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, US CENTCOM chief General David Petraeus said Zardari is certainly facing some challenges, but there is threat to the civilian rule. "There clearly are challenges, potential challenges, to President Zardari, but again I don't see the prospect or the desire for anyone to change civilian rule," The News quoted Petraeus, as saying. "I actually don't think the current challenges imperil civilian rule," he added. Deputy Secretary of State, Jack Lew told the Committee that Washington is aware about the challenges facing the Pakistani Presidency, and stressed that it is focussing on developing relationships with 'institutions' rather than individuals. "We have been working with the current government to try and help build the institutions and not just the people so that there is the ability to rely on ongoing relationships regardless of the leadership," Lew said. Petraeus added that he doesn't believe that Pakistan military has any desire to imperil the civilian rule. Responding to a question, he said during his recent conversations with the top officials of the Pakistan Army, he didn't noticed any desire to topple the civilian rule in the country.