Washington, Apr 15: Pakistan Army has a very strong role in the country’s policy, despite restoration of democratic rule in the country, a top US envoy has said.
 “....The military in Pakistan has a very strong role in policy, which is traditional. Whether one likes it or not, it’s part of it,” the Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke said in an interview.
 The envoy’s comments come as the Pakistan’s Parliament is in the process of passage of the crucial constitutional amendment which will take away unlimited powers enjoyed by the President Asif Ali Zardari.    
 Referring to the amendment in an interview with the MSNBC Holbrooke said, it will restore the supremacy of Parliament and reduce the powers of the President, which was the most powerful post under the previous Musharraf regime.
 He said by the constitutional amendment Pakistan will return to the Prime Ministerial system.
 Holbrooke who was present in number of meetings visiting Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other US leaders said the main crisis facing Pakistan was the energy crisis and economic woes.
 “Those are big deals, and we’re trying to help them. One of the most senior people at the White House, David Lipton, is working on this overtime. We have just had the Pakistanis here. Secretary (of State, Hillary) Clinton will be working very deeply on this,” the envoy said.
 During his meeting with Clinton and Holbrooke, the Pakistani Prime Minister urged them to fast-track the funding process for undertaking the up gradation of existing power generation and transmission infrastructure to help overcome power shortages in Pakistan.
PTI

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