DNA TV Show: Row over fat-containing laddus in Tirupati Temple
Kolkata rape-murder case: Junior doctors to end protest, resume emergency services from...
Salman Khan's security breached, case registered against biker following actor's car
Sarfaraz Ahmed trolls Babar Azam in Champions One-Day Cup, star batter responds with century
After reducing debt, Anil Ambani's company now approves Rs 3014 crore...
Legends League Cricket 2024: Full schedule, squads, live streaming - All you need to know
India reacts to report on diversion of Indian defence exports to Ukraine, says, ‘it is…’
Tata Group-owned app to deliver iPhone 16 models in 10 minutes, service starts from…
Amitabh Bachchan apologises for this reason in viral video: 'Galat ho gaya tha...'
New COVID-19’s XEC 'contagious' variant spreads across 27 countries, here's what you need to know
Verantes Living Awarded as India’s No.1 Stainless Steel Modular Kitchen Brand
Narayana Murthy’s Infosys set to invest Rs 170000000 in this startup
Discover Stainless France, the Leading Supplier of Cobalt Chrome
India dismisses Khalistani terrorist Pannun's US lawsuit over assassination attempt, calls it…
IND vs BAN, 1st Test: R Ashwin joins Ravindra Jadeja in elite club, becomes second cricketer to....
More trouble for ex-RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh, Bengal medical body now...
Tirupati Laddu row: Lab report confirms prasada contains beef fat, fish oil
Meet IPS officer who has resigned after serving for 18 yrs due to...
ITR filing: Haven’t received your income tax refund yet? Here’s what you should do
FATF says India faces severe 'terrorist financing threats' from...
WATCH: IAS officer poses as customer at liquor shop, imposes Rs 50000 fine for....
Meet Indian man, who got hired whopping Rs 12000000 crore salary job, not from IIT, IIM he is...
Meet ‘delivery boy’ who beats Mukesh Ambani in world’s billionaire list, his net worth is…
Suriya, Bobby Deol-starrer Kanguva gets new release date, averts clash with Rajinikanth's Vettaiyan
This Bajaj Group company's shares rose by Rs 1687 in just 5 days after...
5 super expensive assets Mukesh Ambani owns: Rs 15000 crore home, Rs 600 crore jet, MI worth...
IND vs BAN, 1st Test: Shubman Gill joins Virat Kohli in unwanted list after poor outing on Day 1
“I'm gonna cut…”: Know what Andrew Flintoff said to Yuvraj Singh before his 6 sixes feat
Kareena Kapoor revives vintage glam in 25-year-old Banarasi saree makeover
Atishi’s Delhi cabinet: AAP leader to retain four minsters; new face to be included
Centre investigates 26-year-old EY employee's death amid massive outrage
NASA's James Webb unveils black hole starving its host galaxy; see pic
'They will also finish....': Akhilesh Yadav slams BJP over 'one nation, one election'
Housing society issues notice over too many deliveries asks to hire personal watchman
ICC releases venues for women's T20 world cup, check list here
J-K Assembly Election 2024: 'Abdullahs, Muftis, Gandhis have given...,' says PM Modi in Srinagar
Meet woman who left medical career for UPSC exam , became IPS with AIR 165 then left job due to...
Meet Indian billionaire with Rs 32615 crore net worth who wants you to save Rs 600 daily because...
IAS Puja Khedkar case latest update: Delhi HC issues...; Know details here
Haryana Assembly Election 2024: BJP releases election manifesto, guarantees...
Amid Ind vs Ban, why is 'boycottBangladeshCricket' trending on social media? Know here
'Usko dekh...': Rishabh Pant during war of words with Liton Das during Ind vs Ban test
This is world's costliest rice, price of 1 kg will leave you shocked, it is grown in...
Could your phone be the next bomb? The scary truth about remote explosions
Watch video: Rohit Sharma's reaction after Virat Kohli's dismissal in Ind vs Ban test match
Bihar: 15 people held for torching 21 houses in Nawada, government says more arrests likely
Atishi, along with new cabinet, to take oath as Delhi CM on..., know details here
Ed raids ex-IAS, Noida Authority CEO's house, Rs 1 crore cash, Rs 19 crore jewellery recovered
Hezbollah walkie-talkie blast kills 20 in Lebanon; Israel declares 'start of new phase in war'
NASA Alert: Giant asteroid Apophis, as big as a skyscraper, will approach Earth on...
Himesh Reshammiya's father, music director Vipin Reshammiya, passes away at 87
This is now India's biggest alcohol firm, has surpassed Johnnie Walker maker Diageo by Rs...
Big win for ISRO: Centre approves Chandrayaan-4, Venus mission and a space station; allocates Rs...
WORLD
Imran Khan also blamed Bajwa for creating a perception of the former as being “anti-US”.
TRENDING NOW
In a media interview, former PM and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, Imran Khan, who is currently lodged in Adiala Jail (Rawalpindi), accused former Army Chief, Qamar Javed Bajwa of his imprisonment.
“I am certain that this ordeal was orchestrated by General Bajwa. I hold no one else responsible. He meticulously planned and executed this scheme, presenting himself as a deceitful figure, creating lies and false narratives to cause national and international chaos - all to secure his extension,” he said.
Imran Khan also blamed Bajwa for creating a perception of the former as being “anti-US”. Khan, who became PM in August 2018, was dubbed as a ‘laadla’ (favourite) of the army by opposition parties (the 2018 election was rigged in favour of Khan’s PTI by the Pakistan military). Khan’s ouster in April 2022 was attributed towards his differences with the Pakistan army on foreign policy issues – especially what was perceived as Khan’s ‘anti-US’ and ‘Pro-Russia’ slant by the Pakistan military. While initially after his removal, Khan blamed the US for his removal, later on, he sought to mend fences with the West.
Days before Khan’s statement, former PM Nawaz Sharif -- who was elected as President of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) on May 28, 2024 --- blamed late General Pervez Musharraf – the architect of the Kargil conflict -- for violation of the Lahore agreement.
Said Nawaz Sharif: “After that, Vajpayee Saheb came here and made an agreement with us. But we violated that agreement. It was our fault”. Ironically, Sharif was initiated into Pakistan politics, in the early 1980s during the military rule of General Zia Ul Haq. Sharif first served as Finance Minister of Punjab (Pakistan) and then Chief Minister of the country’s most populous province, before holding the position of Pakistan Prime Minister thrice (1990-1993, 1997-1999 and 2013-2017). While the army and ISI played an important role in the cobbling of a coalition, which paved the way of the installation of Nawaz Sharif as PM -- in 1990 -- later on he fell out with the army. One of the key reasons was Sharif’s commitment to establish the writ of civilian institutions in the country and his foreign policy – especially regarding the normalisation of ties with India (Sharif has repeatedly pitched for stronger economic relations with India). The former Pakistan PM has also repeatedly stated that Pakistan shouldn’t blame external forces for its current economic mess but look inwards.
Even the February 2024 election was rigged in favour of the PML-N as a result of the Pakistan army’s fallout with Imran Khan. Shehbaz Sharif -- brother of Nawaz Sharif -- became PM due to his relatively better equation with the Pakistan army and his ability to work with other parties (Shehbaz Sharif had run a coalition between April 2022 and August 2023).
From both Sharif and Khan’s statements a few points are clear. First, Pakistan is likely to be run by what are dubbed as ‘hybrid regimes’ in the imminent future, unless there is a fundamental shift in Pakistan’s polity and the political class is able to successfully address the challenges – economic and foreign policy-related -- the country faces (the Pakistan military has taken advantage of the failures of the political class in the past). There also has to be a political consensus within the country to establish civilian supremacy. Political rivals should ensure that their opponents complete their terms and should not topple governments with the support of the Pakistan military.
Second, even leaders with a clear mandate, who are popular, are not free to assert themselves on key foreign policy issues – especially Pakistan’s ties with India. While the army may give the impression that it is willing to re-orient its ties with India, there are sections which scuttle any such attempt.
Third, for several countries – especially China which has invested in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) – the Pakistan army is important in order to maintain the security of the infrastructure, which China has invested in, as well as Chinese nationals working in the country (China has repeatedly expressed its displeasure to Pakistan regarding the slow progress of the CPEC project due to the security situation in the country). The Western world – especially the US – as well as Gulf countries have also maintained close ties with the Pakistan army – which represents continuity and stability -- within an unpredictable, turbulent political landscape. The Pakistan army has successfully leveraged the above, to its benefit, for a long.
In conclusion, the recent statements of arch-rivals Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif highlight several points, the most important one being the overwhelming influence of the Pakistan army on the country’s political landscape and its indelible imprint on the country’s foreign policy.
The author is a policy analyst and faculty member at the Jindal School of International Affairs, OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat.
(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own and do not reflect those of DNA)