Friday, March 5, 2021
Army Backing Vital for Khan to Survive Pakistan Confidence Vote
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan spent much of his election campaign in 2018 denying he was a military stooge. Yet after suffering a shocking loss in parliament this week, he turned to the nation’s powerful army chief.
Khan met army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa along with the head of the military’s spy agency on Thursday after his finance minister lost a tightly fought battle for a seat in the Senate, or the upper house. The conversation with the head of the institution that has conducted numerous coups, and retains tremendous sway over policy, is likely to send a strong message to lawmakers as Khan seeks a confidence vote in parliament Saturday.
For the army, which has ruled the nation for about half of its existence since independence in 1947, Khan represents stability as the economy recovers from the pandemic-induced contraction. With U.S. President Joe Biden urging allies to uphold democracy, Pakistan will be keen to avoid turmoil in the region, which is already reeling from a coup in Myanmar.
Imran Khan to Seek Pakistan Parliament Vote After Shock Loss
“Bajwa is keen to maintain continuity and show that all is well,” said Burzine Waghmar, a member of the Centre for the Study of Pakistan at SOAS University of London. The army is also “keen to start on a good footing with the Biden administration as well.”
Khan’s meeting with Bajwa rankled the opposition. “It gives a wrong message,” opposition leader Maryam Nawaz said at a briefing on Thursday.
There was no immediate comment from the federal government’s spokesman or the army.
Shifting Numbers
Khan needs the support of 172 of the lawmakers to win the confidence vote. Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party and allies have 178 seats in the 342-member National Assembly or lower house of parliament. However, the party-backed Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh got 164 votes in the election on Wednesday. The members of the National Assembly vote in the Senate and the defeat prompted Khan to seek a vote of confidence and prove he still commands a majority.
To ensure Khan has support of at least his lawmakers, Pakistan’s spy agency has been asked to monitor their movement and secure their presence in parliament on Saturday, according to officials with knowledge of the information. They asked not to be identified speaking to the media.
“No party can remain in power without institutional support from the army,” said Amit Ranjan, research fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. “Whoever comes next, if Khan loses, also needs support from the army.”
The army already has an outsized role in Khan’s administration -- with a say in foreign policy and security matters to economic decisions. Generals have been known to hold private meetings with businessman and policymakers.
Pakistan’s Army Chief Holds Private Meetings to Shore Up Economy
Meanwhile, former and current military officials are in prominent government-backed roles, such as running the state-owned airline and Khan’s low-cost housing plan.
Military Support
“The idea that the establishment is completely neutral seems a bit far-fetched,” said Niaz Murtaza, executive director at Islamabad-based think tank Inspiring Pakistan said by phone, referring to the military. The army is “still backing the government and they’ll continue to do so at the moment.”
Army Tightens Grip on Pakistan as Imran Khan’s Popularity Wanes
Still, the army’s backing couldn’t stop Khan’s party, which became the largest in the Senate, from losing the vital seat. The unexpected win for the opposition-backed former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, meant that some of Khan’s lawmakers switched sides.
Khan in an address to the nation alleged 15 or 16 of his lawmakers were bribed to vote against the party-backed candidate.
Unlike the secret ballot in the Senate, the confidence vote is a public show of strength. With Pakistan looking to resume funding from the International Monetary Fund’s $6 billion bailout program last month, the army will be keen to prop up Khan.
The Pakistan premier has also been exerting influence in the peace talks in Afghanistan with U.S. troops poised to depart. He has met multiple delegations from the neighboring nation including the Taliban militants.
That is something the army will likely want to see continuing.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-05/army-backing-vital-for-khan-to-survive-pakistan-confidence-vote
Pakistan: Opposition calls for action against PM Imran Khan after ECP comments
PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz said Friday that action should be taken against Prime Minister Imran Khan as he has insulted the Election Commission of Pakistan and has also "dragged army into politics."
Addressing a press conference with party leaders in Islamabad, Maryam said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) did not give a personal opinion in the Supreme Court's presidential reference hearing.
"The election commission gave its opinion under the Constitution, and neither the ECP has the power to amend the Constitution nor does the Supreme Court," she said.
Maryam said the ECP had taken a rightful position during the apex court's hearing, adding that now, "even the institutions know who is ridiculing them."
"[Even] the president of Pakistan has admitted that PM Imran Khan has lost confidence," Maryam said.
Will not come under any sort of pressure: ECP responds to PM Imran Khan's criticism
The PML-N leader claimed that Senate election tickets in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were sold for billions of rupees. However, despite winning in both the provinces, the government cried foul over their loss in Islamabad — where PPP's Yousuf Raza Gilani defeated Finance Minister Hafeez Shaikh.
Maryam said the president has "acknowledged what the nation understood" in the recent by-elections. "Even though he was late to understand this, I congratulate the president for understanding the situation."
'No moral justification'
Meanwhile, the newly-elected PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said the prime minister has "violated the Election Commission Act by insulting an institution."
Rehman said the allegations against the election commission for "shielding criminals" and undermining democracy are worrisome.
Taking a jibe at the government, the PPP leader said after the Daska by-election, it had no moral justification to point fingers at the election commission.
'Power lent to you is not yours'
Similarly, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said the premier was venting his anger out at the election commission as he has lost the confidence of the Parliament.
Read more: PM Imran Khan vows to never let the corrupt off the hook, whether in power or not
"Power lent to you is not yours," she said.
The PML-N spokesperson asked the government not to "enslave" lawmakers through coercion, bullying, rigging, and pressure. "Flour, sugar, electricity, gas, medicine, and vote thieves have lost the trust of the people."
'Will not come under any sort of pressure'
Earlier in the day, the election commission expressed disappointment over the premier's hard-hitting speech and statements from a few cabinet members, stressing that the Senate elections were held according to the law and Constitution.
In a written statement, the commission said that it has "never come under any sort of pressure and God willing, will not in future as well".
"We cannot ignore the law and the Constitution to please anyone," said the ECP in its statement.
‘ECP provided an opportunity for democracy to be discredited’
A day earlier, PM Imran took the ECP to task for failing to ensure a transparent election in his speech after the upset defeat of PTI candidate Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh for the Senate seat from Islamabad on Wednesday.
"Your biggest responsibility is a transparent election and it is your constitutional responsibility," he had said to the ECP.
"Why did you go to the court and say there should be a secret ballot? Does the constitution ever allow theft of votes and for bribery to occur like has been in the last 30 years?" the premier asked.
He said the court had allowed the Commission to hold a secret vote but have some sort of identification mechanism whereby the PTI could now have discovered the 15-16 lawmakers "who sold themselves off".
https://www.geo.tv/latest/338212-opposition-calls-for-action-against-pm-imran-khan-after-ecp-comments
Chairman PPP felicitated PDM leaders on Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani’s victory
Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari telephoned Balochistan National Party chief, Sardar Akhtar Mengal and National Party head Dr. Abdul Malik and congratulated both leaders on the success of PDM joint candidate, Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani in the Senate elections.Bilawal Bhutto Zardari while talking to them said that PDM’s joint candidate Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani’s victory is the victory of democracy. Strong opposition alliance created cracks in government’s ranks.
Chairman PPP said that Imran Khan’s so-called change was also rejected by conscientious public representatives of the government.
Chairman PPP also telephoned the president Awami National Party Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter, Aimal Wali Khan and discussed the current political situation of the country. He also congratulated Aimal Wali Khan on the victory of PDM’s joint candidate Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani.
Chairman PPP also telephoned the president Awami National Party Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter, Aimal Wali Khan and discussed the current political situation of the country. He also congratulated Aimal Wali Khan on the victory of PDM’s joint candidate Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani.
https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/24419/
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