Age of military coup is over: Imran

Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief Imran Khan has said there will be no military coup in Pakistan despite oppositions press for the exit of the government due to the escalating crisis in the country.Speaking exclusively to an Indian TV channel in Islamabad, opposition leader and Tehreek-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan also joined the chorus and said, The age of martial law in Pakistan is now permanently over.The army, he said, realizes that people will not accept this anymore.Leaders like Imran Khan have said they are firmly against the Zardari government, but also firmly against allowing a military coup. Khan, whose rallies have been drawing huge audiences, has said that his party supports the Supreme Court. He has also accused Gilani of trying to shield a corrupt President Zardari.On Monday evening, an embattled Zardari government won a trust vote in Parliament, with its pro-democracy resolution being passed by a majority. Emboldened by this victory, its top leadership is now asserting that there is no question of the PM resigning or the government being sacked, the TV said.When asked about rise of his party Imran said that PTI is now the number one party and has the biggest public support.I think our democracy has evolved. And these entire crises, as you just mentioned in your opening remarks, what has come out is that the army is no longer prepared to come out in the open, Khan said.To a question if the age of the coup is over in a sense. Imran said the age of martial law is over.Talking about the memogate, Imran said the memogate scandal is such a shameful scandal, that if ever the army would have intervened, it would have been then. Because, its effectively a president asking the United States, to come and help him get rid of the Army hierarchy so that he could serve them better. Thats in effect the memogate and normally, the army would have...that would have been enough to take over. I mean, as it is, there is public outrage against that and so you wouldve had the public backing.But, he said, Pakistan has moved on and he thinks that the army realizes now that people are not going to accept military takeovers anymore.At the same time, the Supreme Court, I mean the Supreme Court has taken a stand. Finally, the Supreme Court, for the first time in Pakistan youre seeing the court taking on the powerful. Normally, the Supreme Court has been a part of the executive and taken orders from the government literally. First time, the Supreme Court is challenging the most powerful people in this country and challenging the corruption cases. And so, we have a vibrant media which is a third pillar and we have a very politically aware public.Imran observed that the government is trying to demolish an independent Supreme Court and that is why is demanding fresh elections.What is...are early elections going to destroy a democracy? Or if the independent judiciary is destroyed, would that destroy a democracy? Pakistan, as I said, has moved on. First time weve had an independent Supreme Court. Now, if this government takes on the Supreme Court just so, then it can protect Asif Zardaris corruption of billions of dollars. Im afraid, that if you stand...if people stand by the judiciary and it wins, then our democracy wins. If our judiciary loses, our democracy loses, the PTI chief said.Responding to a question that certain voices are suggesting that in some ways, the judiciary and the military in this country are on the same side in this debate, Imran replied, I dont know if there is any indication of that but all I know is that the Supreme Court has been very lenient with this government.To a question about impression that he is backed by the Pakistani army, Imran said, this is what all the politicians are petrified of because they dont know whats happened, how come this tsunami has suddenly built up? But if the army has now helped us, then surely it must be manipulating the Pew polls which are American opinion polls where Tehreek-e-Insaf has been number one for now six months.