Support For Democratic Government

India sent evidence on Monday to Pakistan that it said linked Pakistani militants to the attacks, including data from satellite phones and what it describes as the confession of a surviving attacker

Pakistan said it had got a dossier and was examining it.

Pasha, a former chief of military operations, was appointed director-general of the military's main security agency in September, two months after the government that came to power after February elections tried to bring it under the ambit of the Interior Ministry.

The government dropped the attempt in the face of objections from the military.

But Pasha said he and the military fully supported the government, led by the party of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Her widower, Asif Ali Zardari, replaced former army chief Pervez Musharraf as president in September.

"It is completely clear to the army chief and I that this government must succeed. Otherwise we will have a lot of problems in this country," Pasha said.

"The result would be problems in the west and east, political destabilisation and trouble with America ... Anyone who does not support this democratic government today simply does not understand the current situation."

The dissolution of an ISI section responsible for spying on Pakistani politicians in November was seen as a military concession to the civilian government, Der Spiegel said.

"I report regularly to the president and take orders from him," Pasha said.

Pasha said ISI officers were allowed to hold different opinions: "But no one can dare to disobey a command or even do something that was not ordered."

... contd.