Kayani not in favour of 'coup' in Pakistan: US

The United States has ruled out a military coup in Pakistan in the wake of the political chaos saying Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani is a staunch supporter of democracy and doesn't want to take over like his predecessor Pervez Musharraf did in 1999.

The Chairman of the U.S Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen however suggested he tried to calm Kayani quite a number of times when the army chief reportedly expressed anger over the way Pakistan's political establishment was behaving.

"I have had 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 Pakistani military to intervene," Mullen said, adding "Kayani is committed to a civilian government and doesnt wish to stage a coup as done by his predecessor general Pervez Musharraf in 1999."

Expressing serious concerns over the turn of events in Pakistan, Mullen said the US officials were keeping a close eye on opposition protests in Pakistan.

"The situation continues to deteriorate very slowly under a political leadership which is very challenged because of the totality of the crisis," Mullen said.