Islamabad [Pakistan]: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan messed up the top two priorities of Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa which sought to get the country off the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list and get the Taliban regime in Afghanistan recognized globally, a defence expert said.
“Qamar Javed Bajwa’s top priorities were to ensure two things, Pakistan should come out of FATF greylist and secondly the recognition of The Taliban government in Afghanistan, therefore, he wanted to patch up with Americans and improve relations with them,” Defense expert Qamar Agha said.
“Pakistan PM messed up the whole thing, the army too has lost support from the country, hence his (Imran Khan’s) removal was the only option,” he further said, adding, “I think his days are numbered he has lost the confidence of the people. He has messed up the whole thing and the army is not happy with him which is the most powerful institution.”
Imran Khan in his addresses over the past few days has named the US and claimed that the no-confidence motion against his government is a foreign conspiracy with the primary Opposition leaders being ‘stooges’.
“Army wanted to maintain some balance between China and America which he (Imran Khan) could not,” Agha said, adding that in addition the Army also felt that the domestic economic and political situation continued to worsen during Khan’s regime, hence he has definitely lost the support that he had from the Pak army.
Earlier today, the Pakistan Army denied its role in the events that led to the dissolution of the country’s National Assembly today and the rejection of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
In a televised address to the nation, shortly after the no-confidence vote against him was rejected on “constitutional” grounds, Imran Khan sought to take the Opposition by surprise by stating that he has advised President Arif Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly on a day when he was slated to face the no-confidence motion.
“I have written to the President to dissolve the assemblies. There should be elections in a democratic way. I call upon the people of Pakistan to prepare for elections,” PM Khan said in his address to the nation.
Imran Khan further congratulated every Pakistani on the Speaker’s decision and said, “The no-confidence motion was a foreign conspiracy against us. The nation should decide who should govern them… not the corrupt people who conspire with foreign powers… Prepare for elections. You will decide.”
Khan had said that he was given three options ahead of the no-trust vote by the “establishment” — resignation, holding early elections or facing the no-confidence motion.
The military establishment however had denied the claim and said that it did not bring the Opposition’s options, and rather it was the federal Government that telephoned the top brass while asking for a meeting to discuss the ongoing political scenario, The News International reported.
The Chief of Pakistan Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the Directive General (DG) of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had met Pakistan PM on Wednesday at the request of the ruling government, according to The News International citing sources.
Imran Khan has seemingly lost support both in the Lower House of the legislature and the backing of the all-powerful Pakistan Army.
Imran Khan received a massive blow when the PTI “lost the majority” in the National Assembly after losing its key ally in the coalition Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P). The MQM on Wednesday announced that it had struck a deal with the opposition Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and would support the no-trust vote in the 342-member National Assembly. (ANI)
