The political crisis in Pakistan is still boiling up after the ouster of the former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a vote of no-confidence in the National Assembly (NA) by the then joint opposition–an alliance of the PDM.
PDM lawmakers had hailed the Supreme Court (SC) order, while PTI lawmaker Shireen Mazari called it a “judicial coup”. The NA selected Shehbaz Sharif as the new prime minister after PTI’s MNAs boycotted the election and resigned from the lower house. The ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan decided to go to the public for a fresh mandate, demanding early elections, and announced a mass movement against the PDM regime after Eid-ul-Fitr. Recently, addressing massive crowds in Peshawar and Karachi, the ex-Prime Minister Khan almost repeated his previous statements. He asked his supporters to determine whether his ouster from power was an ‘interference’ or a ‘conspiracy’. Hinting towards the US, he said, “A major international conspiracy was carried out against my government and this country…I cannot allow our country to become a slave to anyone”.
Referring to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he elaborated, “One Mir Jaffer has been imposed on us via a conspiracy. The US officials had started meeting the leaders of the [then] opposition parties at the American embassy. They threatened him that if the no-confidence motion was not successful then it will be very difficult for Pakistan”.
He further appreciated the army, and criticised it indirectly by saying, “I knew the match was fixed. I asked the SC why it did not investigate the diplomatic cypher”. Meanwhile, leaders of the then joint opposition parties challenged the authenticity of the ‘threat letter’.
During the Formation Commanders’ Conference chaired by the Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the country’s top military brass took notice of the recent propaganda campaign by some quarters to malign the Pakistan Army and create a division between the institution and society. In the meantime, the Islamabad High Court restrained the FIA from harassing PTI’s social media activists.
In a recent press briefing, DG of ISPR Maj-Gen. Babar Iftikhar stated that the word ‘conspiracy’ was not mentioned in the communiqué issued following the meeting of the National Security Committee. But, he admitted that the demarche was issued to the foreign country [US] over the use of undiplomatic language which tantamount to interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs. Babar added that Imran Khan contacted the military leadership.
Responding to the ISPR statement, Shireen Mazari emphatically clarified that deposed Prime Minister Khan had not called the military leadership for help to break the ‘political deadlock’ and instead “the military sought the meeting through then defense minister Khattak. Imran Khan refused the option of resigning. DG ISPR stated that Imran Khan’s Russia trip was undertaken after approval from all”. These contradictory clarifications by the ISPR and PTI are being used by pro and anti-PTI supporters and media persons to vindicate their respective narratives.
In fact, since July 28, 2017, when the Supreme Court announced its verdict in connection with the Panama Papers case and disqualified the then PM Nawaz Sharif regarding the corruption charges, the deposed prime minister was openly criticising the Supreme Court and Army. Thus, they had been misguiding the people and were provoking them against the key institutions.
At present, PTI’s workers have been distorting the Army’s perception in such a way that the masses have forgotten the sacrifices and services of the armed forces. Undoubtedly, Pakistan’s armed forces and ISI have successfully broken the backbone of the foreign-backed terrorists. Peace has been restored in country’s vulnerable regions.
The army undertook tasks like the resettlement of the Internally Displaced Persons during the Swat and Malakand military operations, counter-insurgency operations and the restoration of law and order on many occasions. Since 1984, Pakistan’s military is fighting against the Indian forces at the Siachen Glacier region despite the unfavorable weather conditions. Now, besides facing external challenges, Pakistan’s security agencies have been coping with a different war as enemies employ subversive activities of various kinds which include both internal and external crises.
Regrettably, under the cover of democracy, some irresponsible leaders of the PTI and PDM are moving the country towards anarchy or civil war by giving priority to their personal interests over national interests. It could be judged from the Punjab Assembly (PA) which turned into a battlefield on April 16 just as the voting for the new chief minister was scheduled to take place.
At this critical hour, while remembering the sacrifices and services of the armed forces, the government and the opposition leaders, including all other segments of society must sign a charter of democracy by showing selfless national unity to pull the country out of the ongoing serious crises.
PDM lawmakers had hailed the Supreme Court (SC) order, while PTI lawmaker Shireen Mazari called it a “judicial coup”. The NA selected Shehbaz Sharif as the new prime minister after PTI’s MNAs boycotted the election and resigned from the lower house. The ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan decided to go to the public for a fresh mandate, demanding early elections, and announced a mass movement against the PDM regime after Eid-ul-Fitr. Recently, addressing massive crowds in Peshawar and Karachi, the ex-Prime Minister Khan almost repeated his previous statements. He asked his supporters to determine whether his ouster from power was an ‘interference’ or a ‘conspiracy’. Hinting towards the US, he said, “A major international conspiracy was carried out against my government and this country…I cannot allow our country to become a slave to anyone”.
Referring to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he elaborated, “One Mir Jaffer has been imposed on us via a conspiracy. The US officials had started meeting the leaders of the [then] opposition parties at the American embassy. They threatened him that if the no-confidence motion was not successful then it will be very difficult for Pakistan”.
He further appreciated the army, and criticised it indirectly by saying, “I knew the match was fixed. I asked the SC why it did not investigate the diplomatic cypher”. Meanwhile, leaders of the then joint opposition parties challenged the authenticity of the ‘threat letter’.
During the Formation Commanders’ Conference chaired by the Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the country’s top military brass took notice of the recent propaganda campaign by some quarters to malign the Pakistan Army and create a division between the institution and society. In the meantime, the Islamabad High Court restrained the FIA from harassing PTI’s social media activists.
In a recent press briefing, DG of ISPR Maj-Gen. Babar Iftikhar stated that the word ‘conspiracy’ was not mentioned in the communiqué issued following the meeting of the National Security Committee. But, he admitted that the demarche was issued to the foreign country [US] over the use of undiplomatic language which tantamount to interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs. Babar added that Imran Khan contacted the military leadership.
Responding to the ISPR statement, Shireen Mazari emphatically clarified that deposed Prime Minister Khan had not called the military leadership for help to break the ‘political deadlock’ and instead “the military sought the meeting through then defense minister Khattak. Imran Khan refused the option of resigning. DG ISPR stated that Imran Khan’s Russia trip was undertaken after approval from all”. These contradictory clarifications by the ISPR and PTI are being used by pro and anti-PTI supporters and media persons to vindicate their respective narratives.
In fact, since July 28, 2017, when the Supreme Court announced its verdict in connection with the Panama Papers case and disqualified the then PM Nawaz Sharif regarding the corruption charges, the deposed prime minister was openly criticising the Supreme Court and Army. Thus, they had been misguiding the people and were provoking them against the key institutions.
At present, PTI’s workers have been distorting the Army’s perception in such a way that the masses have forgotten the sacrifices and services of the armed forces. Undoubtedly, Pakistan’s armed forces and ISI have successfully broken the backbone of the foreign-backed terrorists. Peace has been restored in country’s vulnerable regions.
The army undertook tasks like the resettlement of the Internally Displaced Persons during the Swat and Malakand military operations, counter-insurgency operations and the restoration of law and order on many occasions. Since 1984, Pakistan’s military is fighting against the Indian forces at the Siachen Glacier region despite the unfavorable weather conditions. Now, besides facing external challenges, Pakistan’s security agencies have been coping with a different war as enemies employ subversive activities of various kinds which include both internal and external crises.
Regrettably, under the cover of democracy, some irresponsible leaders of the PTI and PDM are moving the country towards anarchy or civil war by giving priority to their personal interests over national interests. It could be judged from the Punjab Assembly (PA) which turned into a battlefield on April 16 just as the voting for the new chief minister was scheduled to take place.
At this critical hour, while remembering the sacrifices and services of the armed forces, the government and the opposition leaders, including all other segments of society must sign a charter of democracy by showing selfless national unity to pull the country out of the ongoing serious crises.
