Mullen says stopped Kayani from interfering in political crisis: Ban Ki-moon urges resolution of differences

US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Mike Mullen on Thursday revealed that he stopped Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani from interfering in the countrys political deadlock, a private TV channel reported. Expressing serious concerns over the political chaos in nuclear-armed Pakistan, Mullen said that the US officials were keeping a close eye on opposition protests in the South Asian country.
Clearing US role in this whole episode that fears causing unrest in the South Asian region, Mullen said that he tried to calm Kayani quite a number of times when the Pak Army Chief expressed anger over the way the countrys political establishment was behaving. "I have had upwards of 10 interactions with Kayani. He wants to do the right thing for Pakistan. But he is in a very tough spot," Mullen said in an interview with PBS news.
There is not a "high probability right now" the political crisis will provoke Pak military to meddle, Mullen said, clearing Kayani is "committed to a civilian government" and doesnt wish to stage a coup as done by his predecessor General Pervez Musharraf in 1999. He, however, underlined that the situation (in Pakistan) "continues to deteriorate very, very slowly under a political leadership which is very challenged because of the totality of the crisis".
Voicing concern over the political crisis in Pakistan, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday called on Pakistans leaders - whether in power or in the opposition - to resolve their differences through an "honest dialogue."
"The Secretary General is concerned about the current political and security situation in Pakistan," UN Associate spokesman Farhan Haq said in response to a question at the regular noon briefing. The spokesman said, "Pakistans leaders, whether in power or in the opposition, have the responsibility first and foremost to ensure the safety and security of the Pakistani people.