Pakistan army warns PM Gilani over criticisms

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Pakistani protesters shout slogans beside a burning US flag during a demonstration in Multan Wednesday.

ISLAMABAD, Jan 11, (agencies): Criticism of Pakistan's military by PM Yousuf Raza Gilani will have "serious ramifications", the army has said.
Earlier this week Mr Gilani was quoted saying the army chief and head of intelligence acted unconstitutionally by making submissions to a Supreme Court inquiry rocking the government. The army warned of "potentially grievous consequences for the country".
Tensions have been rising in recent months between Pakistan's civilian government and military leaders.
Meanwhile: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani sacked his defence secretary Wednesday for "gross misconduct" in triggering a row between the army and civilian leadership, a senior government official told AFP.
"Prime minister has terminated the contract of defence secretary Naeem Khalid Lodhi for gross misconduct," he said. State media said he had been fired "for creating misunderstanding between the state institutions".
The army earlier said the defence ministry had failed to process its submissions made to a Supreme Court inquiry into a controversial unsigned memo that sought US help in curbing the power of the military.
That failure triggered a row between the country's military and civilian leadership, with the prime minister earlier in the week telling Chinese media the army top brass had acted unlawfully in failing to consult it.
Meanwhile: The deadly US drone campaign in Pakistan's tribal zone resumed with a missile strike that killed four militants, two months after a NATO raid that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
The CIA campaign had reportedly been suspended to avoid worsening relations between the United States and Pakistan after the deadly November 26 incident, which eroded even more the thin veneer of trust between the wary allies.
The four militants were killed late Tuesday when two missiles struck their compound on the outskirts of Miranshah in North Waziristan, a lawless tribal region near the Afghan border, security officials said.
The attack set the building on fire and flames could be seen from the roofs of houses in Miranshah, which lies five kilometres (three miles) away, residents reported.
It was the first missile strike in Pakistan since November 17. It remains to be seen if it presages a new round of attacks on Taliban and Al Qaeda-linked militants based in the remote territory bordering Afghanistan.
November's strike by NATO helicopters triggered outrage in Pakistan and aggravated tensions in an already shaky relationship with Washington, prompting Islamabad to block alliance supply convoys heading to Afghanistan.
Islamabad also ordered the United States to last month leave Shamsi air base in western Pakistan, from where it is believed to have launched some of its drones. Others are thought to be flown from within Afghanistan.