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Establishment mulling ‘soft intervention’ amid deepening political, economic crisis: sources

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  • Establishment mulling intervention as country’s economic situation deteriorates.
  • Next general elections in Pakistan can take place in October.
  • PTI Chairman Imran Khan is ready for negotiations with government.

ISLAMABAD: The establishment is considering a “soft intervention” under which it may mediate between PTI Chairman Imran Khan and the coalition parties — comprising PML-N, PPP, JUI-F, and others — sources told The News Saturday, as political and economic crises grip Pakistan.

The sources told the publication that there are chances of a “grand dialogue” between the Opposition and the government with the intervention of the establishment.

The development comes as the Pakistani rupee continues its downward trend against the US dollar and the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) also witnessing constant plunges in recent sessions — both markets recording historic lows.

Not only this, but there has also been persistent political instability since Khan’s ouster from power, including a fight for the Punjab throne resulting in the province being left without a chief minister for nearly four months. Hamza Shahbaz took oath twice as chief minister in this period but with his appointment challenged time and again in the courts, the matter has now gone to him being appointed a trustee chief minister until Monday.

The situation has given way to the likelihood for the next general elections to take place soon, with the sources putting the time frame at October.

‘Khan ready for negotiations’

Senior journalist Suhail Warraich told Geo News that he met the ousted prime minister and that “Khan is ready for negotiations” with the coalition government on three issues: elections and election reforms, the economic agenda and the appointment of the army chief.

The journalist said that there are chances that Khan will write a letter to President Arif Alvi and he might help in holding negotiations between the PTI and the government.

“Everyone believes that the political parties should resolve their issues amicably,” the journalist said.

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Sheikh Rashid claims he doesn’t communicate with the PTI’s founder or any other leader.

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Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the president of the Pakistan Awami Muslim League and former interior minister, claims not to be in contact with the founder or any other leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

In an interview with media outside the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi, he said that only Shibli Faraz was qualified to discuss talks between the PTI and the Establishment.

Regarding the deputy prime minister position, he stated that Pakistan’s constitution did not contain such a clause. He chided that “only the Jati Umra constitution offers the slot of deputy prime minister.”

He predicted that Pakistan would have an economic crisis within the next two months. “Industrialists are already facing tough conditions and now growers are up in arms,” he claimed.

He claimed that the purchasing of wheat had not yet started and that the general public’s financial situation was appalling.

The former federal minister reaffirmed that prisoners should be released from custody if they are innocent and unrelated to crimes.

He requested that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) be made aware of the wheat scam right now.

The following two months would be critical for Pakistani politics, thus he asked the administration to reconsider its policy.

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“I never left PTI,” says Fawad Chaudhry, doing a U-turn.

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Fawad Chaudhry, a former federal minister, claimed that he remained a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Speaking to the media outside Rawalpindi’s Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Tuesday, the former minister claimed that the current administration lacks credibility because of its stance on the Form-47.

The senior lawmaker declared, “If Maulana Fazl ur Rehman and PTI join hands, the government cannot even last for three months.”

He went on to say that an election that was manipulated led to the formation of the administration.

“We want to bring down the political temperature because we are going through a difficult time,” Fawad stated.

The former minister claimed he had not yet shared his narrative because he would do so at the appropriate moment.

“I’m very happy to have met all of my pals today. May we all go forward towards a typical circumstance,” he said in closing.

The prominent politician had previously stated that she left PTI following the bloodshed on May 9 of last year.

In a news conference last year, Fawad Chaudhry, the senior vice president of PTI, announced his departure from the organisation and his intention to take a sabbatical from politics.

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The nomination of Ishaq Dar as deputy prime minister raises concerns.

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A lot of doubts have been raised by Ishaq Dar, the foreign minister, being appointed deputy prime minister.

No reference to the Constitution, regulations, or any other law was mentioned in the Cabinet Division’s notification of the appointment.

What powers Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif used to designate Ishaq Dar as deputy prime minister has come under scrutiny in light of this.

There are questions about the legal foundation for the deputy prime minister’s nomination as it appears from the notification’s phrasing that rules for the position have not yet been established, according to insiders.

Likewise, the announcement is vague about the deputy prime minister’s proposed authority.

Deputy prime minister would be purely symbolic, according to government sources, and would not be authorized to carry out prime ministerial duties. In Pakistan, the deputy prime minister has previously been nominated.

The PPP administration appointed Chaudhry Parvez Elahi as deputy prime minister.

Observe that Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was appointed deputy prime minister on Sunday with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s consent; the Cabinet Division formally announced the appointment.

Dar holds the position of Pakistan’s fourth deputy prime minister. Previous appointments to the position of deputy prime ministers included Parvez Elahi, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and Begum Nusrat Bhutto.

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