Pakistan calls for Mohammed Morsi's release

Islamabad, July 27: Pakistan Friday called for immediate release of Egypt's former president Mohammed Morsi who was ousted from office earlier this month following days of protests by millions of people against his Islamist rule.

Morsi is in detention, accused of conspiring with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Pakistan has described the ouster of Morsi as "a major setback for Egypt's return to democracy and to the achievements of aims and objectives of January 11 revolution", reported Geo News citing the Pakistan foreign ministry in a statement.

It said that Pakistan, having suffered from repeated extra-constitutional interventions, was opposed to military interventions for resolution of disputes in any country.

Islamabad urged all sides in Egypt to address the legal and constitutional issues in an inclusive and peaceful manner to enable the country to successfully restore the democratic institutions as early as possible.

"It is the earnest hope of the government and the people of Pakistan that the great nation of Egypt would be able to deal with its affairs in a manner that ensures political stability, sustained democracy and development of their country and prosperity and well-being of its people," the ministry said.

Meanwhile, after days of protests forced Morsi to leave office, huge rallies by supporters and opponents of the country's ousted Islamist president were continuing into the night Friday with five people killed in Alexandria, BBC reported.

In a show of strength, Morsi's supporters filled the streets around a mosque in Cairo to condemn his removal by the army. But army supporters also converged on Tahrir Square, just a few miles away.

IANS