Pakistan Power Struggle Deepens: Khawaja Asif Hits Back at Army as PM Address Postponed

Islamabad: The political crisis in Pakistan seems to be deepening once again. Amidst the ongoing protests in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), the rhetoric between the government and the military establishment has started coming out openly. After Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi raised questions on the country's governance and supported the army's media wing ISPR, now Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has retaliated on behalf of the Shahbaz Sharif government. He described Pakistan's military intervention as the biggest loss in the country's democratic history.

What did Khwaja Asif say?

In a programme of Geo News, Khawaja Asif was asked that when senior ministers of the government and the army themselves are raising questions on the governance system, has the existing system failed? On this he said that elected governments in Pakistan were repeatedly toppled and responsibility for this should be fixed. He claimed that all three governments of Nawaz Sharif were doing good work, but he was removed from power prematurely.

Why did you take the names of generals?

Without naming any military officer, Khawaja Asif said that in the history of Pakistan, some generals weakened the democratic system for their personal interests. Indirectly referring to former President and Army Chief Pervez Musharraf, he said that in 1999, one man's ambition changed the direction of the country. According to him, military intervention is a chapter in the history of Pakistan which harmed both democracy and economy.

Why did Mohsin Naqvi's statement increase the controversy?

Recently, Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi had made sharp remarks regarding the administrative system of the country. He had said that the existing system is not working effectively. After this statement, the press conference of ISPR chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhary was also seen in the same context in political circles. After this, a new debate started in the politics of Pakistan regarding the relationship between power and the military establishment.

Was an important meeting held in Nawaz Sharif camp?

According to Pakistani media reports, the top leadership meeting of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) was held in Lahore amid rising political tension. Many senior leaders including Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Ishaq Dar participated in it. After the meeting, Nawaz Sharif described the democratic system as the most suitable for the country and appealed to the political parties to maintain restraint and dialogue.

Will the political crisis in Pakistan deepen further?

Analysts believe that on one hand protests are continuing in various provinces, while on the other hand the increasing rhetoric between the government and the military establishment may further increase political instability in the coming days. Although there has been no official confirmation of any conflict from the government or the army, recent developments have once again brought Pakistan's internal politics into the spotlight.