Ahead of a probable no-trust vote against his government, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan met Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday. It is being speculated that the meeting is Imran Khan’s attempt to bolster his ties with the Pak military and deep state that is believed to be the actual ruling establishment in the country. According to local media reports, the agenda of the meeting could have revolved around the upcoming Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) summit in Islamabad, the ongoing unrest in Balochistan and the upcoming no-confidence motion against Imran Khan’s government.
The no-confidence moved by the opposition apparently has the support of several dissent lawmakers of the ruling party.”The majority of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders are waiting for the outcome of this meeting, the result of this meeting will be important amidst the ongoing political developments in the country,” Capital TV, a Pakistani media channel, reported.
The differences between Imran Khan and the Army establishment became apparent when the former in his profanity-laced speech on March 11 had rebuffed Bajwa’s suggestion to not use derogatory terms for opposition leaders. As per reports, Imran Khan said regarding JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, “I was just talking to Gen Bajwa (Chief of Pakistani Army) and he told me not to refer to Fazl as ‘diesel’. But I am not the one who is saying that. The people have named him diesel.”
Meanwhile, 25 disgruntled lawmakers from Imran Khan’s ruling PTI are holed up in the Sindh House in Islamabd. Pakistan media reported on Friday that PTI workers broke the gate of the Sindh House and entered the building. The police arrested PTI’s Faheem Khan and Attaullah Niazi who were leading the group in the Sindh House. Some workers who were part of the mob have also been arrested.
Earlier, police had stormed the Parliament lounge in Islamabad and a scuffle ensued between cops and opposition members. Arrested opposition figures and their supporters were released from custody within a day of their detention after opposition parties had called for a blockade of major roads in the capital city.
