'No rifts between army and government,' assures Gilani

ISLAMABAD: Prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has reiterated that the government is '100 per cent' committed to scrap the 17th amendment, emphasising that there are no rifts between the army and the government, DawnNews reported.

The PM was addressing the media after visiting the families of the victims of the 2007 Abpara Blast and 1995 Egyptian embassy blasts.

Gilani also pointed out that the government was committed to protecting the 1973 constitution, stressing that it is "100 per cent serious about scrapping the 17th amendment."

He further said that there is no deadlock in the parliamentary committee on constitutional reforms and that all state institutions are working within constitutional limits.

The PM also announced an increase in compensation from Rs0.5 million to Rs2 million for the personnel of Islamabad police and frontier constabulary who were killed in the line of duty.

He further said that the families of the victims will be given accommodation on ownership basis and the government will ensure that jobs are provided for their children.

Talking about the alleged closure of US-led police training programme, Gilani said that the programme has not been scrapped, but its location has been changed