Chief of Armed Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lt Gen Faiz Hameed paid a visit to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday to discuss civilian and military leadership issues.
It has been informed that five publicly known meetings have taken place in past month.
However, people were quick to link the meeting to the latest political developments in the country following the Senate elections in which the ruling coalition suffered an upset on the seat for the federal capital where Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh lost to opposition’s candidate former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
President Arif Alvi summoned National Assembly session on Thursday to put forward motion of confidence in the parliament. After which PM Imran Khan held consultations with his allies and party leaders over the vote of confidence. Later on Thursday, the PM was paid a visit by military leaders.
After their meeting, Prime Minister announced to address nation at 7pm on Thursday. In the address PM Khan announced he would take vote of confidence from parliament on Saturday. He kept stressing over the fact that he would not be blackmailed into giving NRO to the opposition. He said he was not scared of losing premiership. If he lost the post he would sit in opposition and oppose corruption. Taking the matter to fullest extent PM said even if he gave up his NA seat, he would not refrain from mobilizing people against corruption and corrupt people.
Assessing the current PM Khan’s decision and meetings a TV analyst, Kashif Abbasi said in an ARY News program that PM Khan was advised by DG ISI and Army chief to abstain from taking the vote of confidence viewing it as an unnecessary step. But the PM went with his plan anyway.
The local media has been discussing his speech and decision in detail. Few believe the opposition pressure worked to put the PM on defence after the senate election.
On the other hand, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Maryam Nawaz, while speaking at a presser, said that Gen Bajwa and Gen Hameed should not have met the prime minister at this occasion as it sends out wrong signals.
She said that the meeting at this juncture does not send out good visuals.
Ms. Nawaz said that the “institutions” should end the backing of PM Khan if they have not done so far and should restrict themselves to the constitutional and lawful role.
