Political forces in Pakistan want the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence agency to be placed under civilian control but the matter has been put on the backburner for the time being, President Asif Ali Zardari has said.
"The political forces want the ISI should be brought under civilian control but for the time being, this matter has been shelved," Zardari said in an interview with a TV news channel.
He did not give the reasons for the issue being shelved.
The government led by Zardari's Pakistan People's Party had attempted to place the ISI under the control of the interior ministry in July last year but the decision was reversed following opposition from the powerful army.
Zardari also said the "non-state actors" he had mentioned in his speech on the second death anniversary of former premier Benazir Bhutto last month were behind the recent attack on a Shia procession in Karachi that killed 43 people.
The "non-state actors" had responded to his speech by carrying out the attack, he said.
Zardari also said certain "political actors" were conspiring against the government but he had "political weapons" that would be used at the appropriate time to foil such plans.
{{/usCountry}}Zardari also said certain "political actors" were conspiring against the government but he had "political weapons" that would be used at the appropriate time to foil such plans.
{{/usCountry}}