Time magazine dubs Gilani govt "too weak to act"

Washington, July 30 : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's coalition government seems to be "too weak to act" as the country is seen grappling with internal disputes, and is weighed down by the pressures of a fast souring economy, says a report in the Time magazine.

According to it, Gilani is also viewed as "ceding many prerogatives of the prime minister's office to PPP Co-chairman Asif Zardari and to Rehman Malik, Benazir Bhutto's security chief who is, in effect, Pakistan's minister for the interior".

It adds that Gilani carries the reputation of being an "understated politician", but reviews of his performance so far have been "mixed".

Comparing the present regime with Musharraf's, the magazine says that the previous government possessed more appeal for Washington as he had control of both the Army and the Government.

"By contrast, the Musharraf years held obvious appeal for Washington. As a man in control of both the army and the government, the former army chief wielded greater power, and where necessary, could be counted to resist public opinion. Gilani's struggling government is deeply susceptible to public opinion, with recent polls consistently recording majorities hostile to the use of military force (against militants)," the Daily Times quoted the magazine as saying.

ANI