Pakistan ’s civilian governments are typically short-lived and cast aside by military coups. This disastrous pattern could be repeating itself as the current civilian government comes under increasing pressure from the army and the Supreme Court.

On Wednesday, the standoff hardened when Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani fired his defense secretary, Naeem Khalid Lodhi — a retired general and confidante of the army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani — and replaced him with a civilian, Nargis Sethi. Infuriated military officials said they might refuse to work with the new secretary and warned vaguely of “serious ramifications with potentially grievous consequences” after Mr. Gilani publicly criticized them in an interview.

This sort of byzantine infighting is hardly uncommon in Pakistan. But a stable Pakistan is critical to America’s interests in the region. The army should focus on what it can do best: fight the militants working to bring down the state and destabilize the region. For its part, the civilian government needs to deal with Pakistan’s severe economic troubles and repair a political culture in which voices of moderation are increasingly snuffed out.

Tensions have built steadily ever since Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s former ambassador to Washington, was accused in October of drafting an anonymous memo that purportedly warned of a coup and sought Washington’s help in preventing it.

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Mr. Haqqani is now under a Supreme Court investigation instigated by the country’s top generals. Mr. Haqqani denies writing the memo but has never made secret his distaste for the iron rule of Pakistan’s generals, who already felt humiliated by the surprise American raid on Osama bin Laden .

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Mr. Haqqani’s passport has been confiscated, and he has taken refuge in Mr. Gilani’s home. The State Department has called for fair and transparent treatment of Mr. Haqqani in line with Pakistani and international law, and it must continue to press that point.