24-10-2025

Month: November 2022

Federal cabinet meets over army chief’s appointment

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet over the appointment of the army’s two top officers — the army chief and the chairman joint chiefs of staff committee.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Minister of State for Law Malik Shahadat, and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari are in attendance, Geo News reported Thursday.

Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel, Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, and other members of the cabinet are also attending the meeting.

The meeting comes a day after the prime minister summoned a meeting of the coalition partners, wherein, they backed PM Shehbaz, showed full confidence, and authorised him to make the appointments.

“We stand with you whatever decision you take,” said a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office quoting the views of leaders of coalition parties.

Following the meeting, Defence Minister Asif said that the summary of the chief of army staff’s appointment would be sent to President Dr Arif Alvi today (Thursday) and it “includes PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s suggestion as well.”

Speaking during Geo News programme “Aapas Ki Baat”, the minister said that the former president gave a good suggestion which has been included in the updated summary as the top priority.

The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed Wednesday morning that it has received a summary from the Ministry of Defence with a panel of names for the appointment of the new COAS and CJCSC.

“The Prime Minister will take a decision on the appointments as per the laid down procedure,” the brief tweet from PM Office read.

Although the names of the front runners for the offices have not been made public yet, sources told Geo News that Lt Gen Asim Munir, Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Lt Gen Azhar Abbas, Lt Gen Nauman Mahmood, Lt Gen Faiz Hamid and Lt Gen Mohammad Aamer’s names are on the list.

New army chief can end political crisis in Pakistan: US scholar

In a piece published by the US Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), another US scholar, Andrew Gordan, urges the Biden administration to increase aid to Pakistan.

“Under a new army chief, the chances may improve that the military will broker a compromise agreement, setting a date for holding national elections,” says Mr Weinbaum in a piece he wrote for the Middle East Institute (MEI), Washington.

By increasing aid to Pakistan, “the United States will propel forward its own strategic interests and fulfil humanitarian obligations while simultaneously helping this South Asian nation avert crisis,” Mr Gordan writes.

While the CFR article deals with the larger question of US-Pakistan relations, the MEI paper focuses on the appointment of a new army chief in Pakistan.

Mr Weinbaum notes that while the current Pakistani government would “prefer to name a new chief believed likely to protect the interests of the governing coalition, the prime minister is hemmed in by a military establishment anxious for the selection to be seen as based solely on seniority and merit”.

Another US scholar of Pakistani origin, Shuja Nawaz, whose books on Pakistan Army are taught at universities in the US and Pakistan, tackles another issue — the retirement of one of the six possible candidates for the top slot on Nov 27, two days before the current chief.

He says that elevating one of the candidates before Nov 27 to deal with the retirement issue “may provoke legal challenges as we cannot have two chiefs simultaneously”.

Prof Hassan Abbas of the US National Defence University says the most likely scenario would be choosing “the two senior most generals” as the chief and the chairman joint chiefs of staff, while the third “may come out as a compromise candidate”.

Mr Weinbaum notes that the army’s top brass “appears determined to avoid taking sides in the brewing political showdown” as Imran Khan’s long march descends on Islamabad. “With much of the officer corps sympathetic to the former prime minister, the army is currently leaving the maintenance of order to the local police, the federal paramilitary Rangers, and the country’s tribal constabulary,” he adds.

Mr Weinbaum, however, says Mr Khan “must make peace with the military establishment if he hopes to again clear a path to taking power and holding it”.

For its part, “the military has come to appreciate that Mr Khan has succeeded in mobilising a popular movement that, if not accommodated, could threaten the military’s long-exalted special relationship with the people of Pakistan,” he adds.

Mr Weinbaum sees Imran Khan “emerging from new elections with a massive ego-boosting mandate,” but says that “it will take a steady, skillful new army chief to lead to a reestablishment of the civilian-military governing condominium with the former prime minister that had existed until last April”.

In the meantime, he suggests maintaining “cool heads on all sides to avoid the violence that could destabilise an economically struggling Pakistan”.

Mr Gordan warns that “Pakistan’s economy has reached a breaking point and political unrest threatens to throw the nation into further disarray”.

He notes that as of Nov 2022, the US has delivered $97 million in aid to Pakistan, but “this figure barely registers on the scale of Pakistan’s recovery requirements, estimated at $40 billion”.

Malaysian king calls council of sultans to resolve election crisis

The king is due to pick a new prime minister after the leading contenders — opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and former premier Muhyiddin Yassin — failed to secure enough support for a majority following a Saturday election that produced an unprecedented hung parliament.

The uncertainty over the election prolongs political instability in the Southeast Asian country, which has had three prime ministers in as many years, and risks delaying policy decisions needed to foster economic recovery.

The Council of Rulers, which groups the heads of all nine royal houses, will meet on Thursday to discuss the formation of a new government, the palace said in a statement.

“The purpose of the meeting of the Council of Malay Rulers is for the King to get the thoughts of the Malay rulers so that he can make a decision for the wellbeing for the people and the country,” the palace said.

King Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah is in the spotlight as he considers who will be the next prime minister, after both Anwar and Muhyiddin missed his Tuesday afternoon deadline to put together an alliance.

The constitutional monarch plays a largely ceremonial role but can appoint a premier he believes will command a majority in parliament.

Malaysia has a unique constitutional monarchy in which kings are chosen in turn from the royal families of nine states to reign for a five-year term.

King Al-Sultan Abdullah made his announcement of a special council after meeting lawmakers from the incumbent Barisan Nasional coalition.

Anwar’s coalition, known as Pakatan Harapan, won the most seats in the Saturday election with 82, while Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional bloc won 73. They need 112 — a simple majority — to form a government.

Barisan won only 30 seats — the worst electoral performance for a coalition that had dominated politics since independence in 1957 — but the support of its members of parliament will be crucial for both Anwar and Muhyiddin to get to 112.

Barisan said on Tuesday it would not align with either of the rival coalitions.

Muhyiddin said he had declined the king’s suggestion for the rivals to work together to form a “unity government”.

Muhyiddin runs an ethnic Malay Muslim conservative alliance, while Anwar heads a multi-ethnic coalition.

Muhyiddin’s bloc includes an the Islamist party PAS, whose electoral gains have raised concern in a country with significant ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indian minorities, most of whom follow other faiths.

Investors have also been spooked over worries about the Islamist party’s possible impact on policies.

Police this week cautioned social media users to refrain from posting “provocative” content on race and religion after the divisive election.

Kyiv counts its dead and damage after missile strikes

KYIV/CHISINAU: Russian missiles knocked out electricity in the Kyiv region and killed at least three people in the Ukrainian capital on Wednesday during attacks that caused blackouts across the country.

Kyiv was one of the main targets of missile strikes on energy facilities that cut power in many regions and made emergency blackouts necessary in others to help conserve energy and carry out repairs as winter sets in.

“Our little one was sleeping. Two years old. She was sleeping, she got covered. She is alive, thanks be to God, said Fyodr, a Kyiv resident walking away from a smouldering apartment building that was hit in Kyiv, dragging a suitcase.

“I’m local, they’re going to find a place for us somewhere everyone is in the same boat, its not just me.” Loud explosions echoed through Kyiv as Russian missiles descended on the capital and Ukrainian air defence missiles flew overhead.

Moldova says ‘massive’ blackouts result of Russian strikes on Ukraine

“I was sitting in my flat and I heard an explosion. My windows in my hall, kitchen and bedroom were thrown open by the blast wave,” said Yuriy Akhymenko, 55, who lives in the apartment building across the road from the one that was hit.

Flames still licked the top floor of the five-storey building more than an hour after it was hit. Fire crews worked to haul vast sheets of charred corrugated iron off the roof, and apartments on all five floors appeared damaged.

One woman who declined to give her name said she lived in the damaged building. She said she watched a missile sail overhead two streets away before hearing the explosion as it hit the apartment building.

“I cant get through to my brother,” she said through tears. “The third entrance to the apartment block is completely gone. The fourth is gone. In the first, everything inside the flats has been strewn all over.” The Kyiv regional administration said the entire Kyiv region — meaning millions of people — was completely without electricity and that the water supply was also badly disrupted. Much of Ukraine suffered similar problems.

Russian forces have increasingly targeted Ukrainian energy facilities in recent weeks as they faced setbacks on the battlefield following their Feb 24 invasion, but President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine remained defiant.

“We’ll renew everything and get through all of this because we are an unbreakable people,” he said in a brief video address.

Moldova ‘massive’ blackouts

Moldova said on Wednesday that it was suffering from widespread blackouts that were caused by a fresh barrage of Russian strikes on energy infrastructure in neighbouring Ukraine.

“As a result of Russia’s bombardment on the Ukrainian energy system, within the last hour, we have massive electricity blackouts in the whole country,” Moldovan deputy prime minister Andrei Spinu wrote on Facebook. He added that the country’s natio­nal energy provider Moldelectrica was working to restore supplies.

Ex-Soviet Moldova, which is wedged between Ukraine and EU-member Romania, also experienced widespread blackouts earlier this month following another barrage of Russian missiles.

Taliban flog three women, 11 men in Afghanistan days after supreme leader’s edict

The lashings are the first to be confirmed since the Taliban’s supreme leader ordered judges this month to fully enforce Islamic law, or sharia, saying corporal punishment was obligatory for certain crimes.

Qazi Rafiullah Samim, head of information and culture for Logar province, said the lashings were not administered publicly.

“Fourteen people were given discretionary punishment, of which 11 were men and three were women,” he said, “The maximum number of lashes for anyone was 39.” Supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered judges this month to fully enforce aspects of Islamic law that include public executions, stonings and floggings, and the amputation of limbs for thieves.

“Carefully examine the files of thieves, kidnappers and seditionists,” he said, according to the Taliban’s chief spokesman.

“Those files in which all the sharia conditions of hudud and qisas have been fulfilled, you are obliged to implement.” Hudud refers to offences for which corporal punishment is mandated, while qisas translates as “retaliation in kind” — effectively an eye for an eye.

Social media has been awash for months with videos and pictures of Taliban fighters meting out summary floggings to people accused of various offences. However, this is the first time that officials have confirmed such punishment ordered by a court.Other countries have been scrutinising the Taliban’s track record on human rights and women’s rights since they took over in August 2021 after a two-decade insurgency.

No foreign government has formally recognised the Taliban’s administration and many have already heavily criticised its reversal on signals they would open secondary schools nationwide for girls in March.

400 loudspeakers

Hundreds of loudspeakers have been installed in the Afghan capital to encourage worshippers to attend prayers, the Taliban’s religious enforcers said on Wednesday.

The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice also said that hundreds of empty shops and other disused buildings had been recently converted into mosques to give everyone the opportunity to pray communally.

“During the previous government, some of the loudspeakers were removed and people were not able to listen to the Azan (call to prayer),” the ministry tweeted.

It said 400 loudspeakers had been installed in different parts of Kabul “so the people could listen to the Azan at the same time”.

Since returning to power in August last year, the Taliban have gradually introduced strict rules and regulations they say are in accordance with Islamic sharia law.

Scotland’s first national schools strike since the 1980s will begin later with a one-day walkout by teachers.

Pupils at nearly every primary and secondary school and many council nurseries will be affected by the industrial action over pay.

A revised pay offer on Tuesday was rejected as “insulting” by unions.

But Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said their demands for a 10% pay rise were “unaffordable”.

A new pay offer from employer Cosla – which would have seen rises of up to 6.85% for the lowest paid – was fair, Ms Somerville said.

The Scottish school strikes – by members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) and the Association of Head Teachers and Deputes Scotland (AHDS) – come amid industrial action across the UK on Thursday.

Strikes will begin at 150 universities as workers from the University and College Union (UCU) protest about pay, working conditions and pension cuts.

Royal Mail staff will also return to picket lines for 10 more strike days at the postal service’s busiest time of the year, after talks ended without agreement.

Meanwhile, teachers elsewhere in the UK are being asked if they also want to strike over pay.

Picket lines

During the last national strike by teachers in Scotland in the mid-1980s, it was rare for schools to close completely.

Students could still attend lessons with teachers who were members of other unions.

The EIS now represents about 80% of the country’s teachers and its actions will close almost all primary, secondary and additional support needs schools. Only a handful of primary schools in Orkney and Shetland will remain open.

Many early years learning centres and nurseries are also affected.

Teachers will be on picket lines outside schools in the morning and at rallies in Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Inverness, and outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh during the afternoon.

EIS has warned further strikes in December could not be ruled out.

And it said primary teachers planned to strike on 10 January and secondary teachers the following day, with further industrial action in February.

The Scottish Secondary Teachers Association and NASUWT plan to strike on 7 and 8 December, leading to closures of some schools and disrupted timetables in others.

Today is the day neither the Scottish government nor the EIS union hoped they would never see.

This is the first national teachers’ strike in Scotland since the long, bitter dispute of the mid-1980s.

The EIS and the other unions hope more strikes can be avoided and that today will be a one off.

But finding the money to give the unions a 10% pay rise would mean some very hard choices for councils and the Scottish government.

The educational impact of a one-day strike will be very limited in itself.

But it comes as schools continue to recover from the impact of the pandemic. The loss of any teaching time can never be a good thing.

It also means that attention which should be on raising attainment or helping pupils who lost out during the pandemic will instead be focused on balancing out the impact of disruption.

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EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said they had been “forced into this strike” after months of talks with Cosla, the councils’ umbrella body, and the Scottish government.

“They have offered a series of sub-standard offers that fall far below the rate of inflation and far short of the justifiable expectations of Scotland’s hard-working teaching professionals,” she said.

Teachers had reacted with “great anger” to the latest offer from Cosla, Ms Bradley added.

“Their much self-lauded ‘generous and progressive’ offer is actually worth, on average, an extra 71p per week to Scotland’s teachers compared to the previously rejected offer. For most teachers, there is no improvement at all, as 80% of teachers are still being offered 5%.”

Parents’ representatives said strikes could present problems for families.

Leanne McGuire, from Glasgow City Parent’s Group, said school closures would be particularly difficult for single working parents, those without a support network and children with additional support needs.

“Those pupils really thrive on routine and when that routine is broken then it can cause them a lot of distress, which then in turn causes a lot of stress for parents,” she said.

Ms Somerville said she was “very disappointed” that strike action would disrupt children and their families.

She told BBC Scotland’s The Nine that a 10% pay increase was “unaffordable for the Scottish government”.

“We have a fixed budget that is already fully utilised for this year, so to do anything that would increase the resolution that we have on this would mean that money would have to come from elsewhere.”

In a separate dispute, staff at 17 Scottish universities are expected to walk out on Thursday and Friday and on 30 November.

About 8,000 workers in Scotland are expected to join a UK-wide strike over pay, working conditions and pensions.

The University and College Union (UCU) said the impact would vary between institutions, but they expected some tutorials and lectures to be cancelled.

Nicola Sturgeon has said the SNP will use the next general election as an attempt to show a majority of people in Scotland support independence.

The first minister was responding to the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling she does not have the power to hold a referendum next year.

Ms Sturgeon said she respected the ruling, which she admitted was a “tough pill to swallow”.

But she said the independence movement had to now find a new way forward.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed the “clear and definitive ruling from the Supreme Court”.

He told MPs: “The people of Scotland want us to be working on fixing the major challenges that we collectively face, whether that’s the economy, supporting the NHS or indeed supporting Ukraine.

“Now is the time for politicians to work together and that’s what this government will do.”

 

Ms Sturgeon had wanted to hold a referendum on 19 October next year but the UK government has refused to grant the formal consent that was in place ahead of the last referendum in 2014, when voters backed staying in the UK by 55% to 45%.

The Supreme Court ruled that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to legislate on the constitution, including the union between Scotland and England, without that consent being in place.

Speaking to the media at a hotel in Edinburgh after the ruling was announced, Ms Sturgeon acknowledged that there would be a “real sense of frustration today in both the SNP and in the wider movement”.

But she said that she believed this would be “short-lived”, predicted that rallies planned for several towns and cities across Scotland on Wednesday evening would show the “strength” of the independence campaign.

A small group of independence supporters gathered outside the Supreme Court ahead of the ruling being announced

Ms Sturgeon said her preferred route to independence was still through a referendum, but admitted that there was currently little prospect of Mr Sunak changing his opposition to a vote being held.

She said this showed that the UK was not a voluntary union, and accused the UK government of “outright democracy-denial”, a position she predicted was “unsustainable”.

The first minister added: “We must and we will find another democratic, lawful means for Scottish people to express their will”, with the next general election being the most obvious vehicle for that.

She said the SNP would now begin the process of deciding precisely how a “de facto” referendum would work, with a special party conference to be hold in the new year.

The party will also launch a “major campaign in defence of Scottish democracy”, she said.

The Conservatives and Labour have already rejected the idea of the election acting as a referendum, arguing that general elections are fought on a range of issues and not just the constitution.

The SNP won 45% of the votes in Scotland at the last general election in 2019 while winning 48 of the 59 seats.

Recent opinion polls have suggested that the country is essentially split down the middle on the independence question, but with a very narrow majority in favour of staying in the UK.

Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that unless the UK government suddenly and unexpectedly agrees to an independence referendum, she will take the campaign into the next UK general election.

This is Plan C – to seek to win majority support for independence from Scottish voters in that election and, if achieved, to claim that as a mandate for Scotland to leave the union.

It will be for a special SNP conference in the new year to decide the details of this approach – including what the question would be and what Nicola Sturgeon should do if her party and its allies win more than 50% of the vote.

It is a big gamble. The SNP has never won that big before. 16 and 17-year-olds don’t get the vote in a UK election. Any number of other issues will be in play and there is likely to be a close focus on the battle between Labour and the Conservatives for Number 10.

There is, of course, no guarantee that the next prime minister would accept the election outcome as if it had been a single issue referendum.

Nicola Sturgeon would not be drawn on her future or the impact on the independence campaign if the SNP falls short in that election, except to say that “if we can’t win, we don’t deserve to be independent”.

PM Shehbaz summons meeting of ruling partners

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned a meeting of parliamentary leaders belonging to the ruling alliance, sources told Geo News Wednesday.

The meeting is set to take place at 6pm to discuss the overall political situation in the country, the sources said, as the government faces uphill tasks on several fronts.

The summoning comes a day after the prime minister met former president and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari at the PM House, a statement from the PM Media Wing said.

Both leaders discussed the “country’s overall political situation”, the statement said.

Zardari also inquired about the health of the prime minister — who tested positive for coronavirus on November 15 after his arrival to Pakistan from London. It was the third time that he had contracted the deadly virus.

The meetings come as the government is set to appoint the next army chief as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa will retire on November 29.

The Inter-Services Public Relations, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and Information Minister have all confirmed that the Prime Minister’s Office has received the summary for the appointment of the top two positions in the military — COAS and chairman joint chiefs of staff committee.

Sources said that the names of six senior-most generals have been included in the summary of the army chief candidates.

The summary includes the names of Lt Gen Asim Munir, Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Lt Gen Azhar Abbas, Lt Gen Nauman Mehmood, Lt Gen Faiz Hamid, and Lt Gen Mohammad Amir as candidates for the slots, the well-placed sources said.

Before calling the latest meetings of the allies, the prime minister had already started consulting them last week on the crucial appointments, with the coalition partners fully mandating the premier for making the appointment as per set procedures and traditions, sources said.

According to sources, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman telephoned the prime minister, wherein both leaders exchanged views on the situation in the country and the appointment of the new army chief, the sources said.

Sources said the maulana threw his weight behind PM Shehbaz, saying he should appoint the new army chief as per the set procedure.

Sources said a majority of the ruling coalition leaders termed the army chief’s appointment an administrative and discretionary power of the prime minister.

PPP and JUI-F leadership fully authorised PM Shehbaz to appoint the new army chief as per his wishes.

COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa pays farewell visit to Quetta Garrison

RAWALPINDI: Chief Of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa Tuesday visited the Quetta Garrison as part of his farewell visits, the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.

Upon his arrival, the COAS was received by the Corps Commander Lieutenant General Asif Ghafoor. He laid floral wreath at the martyrs’ monument and interacted with officers and troops, the military’s media shared.

The army chief appreciated efforts and contributions of the corps and its formations towards peace and stability in the province, their assistance to provincial government during recent flooding and socio-economic development.

Later, General Bajwa also inaugurated Sheikh Muhammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Institute of Cardiology Quetta (ICQ), which is the first-ever cardiac facility of 120 beds established in collaboration with United Arab Emirates (UAE).

UAE’s ambassador, Urban Poverty Alleviation Programme’s (UPAP) director, governor Balochistan and chief secretary Balochistan were also present on the occasion, as per the ISPR.

“COAS said that this cardiac institute will serve the population of Balochistan at Quetta and two more such facilities are also planned for Balochistan under the same project,” the statement read.

The army chief also presented Sitara-e-Quaid-i-Azam to Director UPAP Abdullah Khalifa Saeed Al-Ghafeli on behalf of Pakistan’s President Dr Arif Alvi.

General Bajwa also visited the Command and Staff College and the School of Infantry and Tactics. During these visits, the army chief interacted with faculty and student officers.

General Nadeem Raza pays farewell visits

Meanwhile, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Nadeem Raza also paid farewell visits to the Naval Headquarters and Air Headquarters in Islamabad today, the ISPR said.

During his visits, General Raza called on Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi CNS, Pak Navy and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, CAS, PAF.

“The CJCSC expressed his satisfaction on the combat readiness of Pak Navy and PAF and appreciated their resolve to safeguard the maritime and aerial frontiers of the country,” the military’s media wing wrote in its statement.

The naval and air chief thanked the outgoing CJCSC for playing a vital role in enhancing jointness amongst tri-services.

Earlier upon arrival at the Air and Naval Headquarters, smartly turned out contingents presented Guard of Honour to General Nadeem Raza.

‘COAS, not PM, decides how US-Pak ties shape up’

This view was expressed at a Monday evening seminar in the US capital.

“I don’t think the future of US-Pakistan relations hinges on who will be the PM in Pakistan… more important is who will be the chief of army staff,” said Lisa Curtis, who looked after South and Central Asian affairs at the Trump White House, adding it was the army that controlled decision-making on issues important to the US, such as the nuclear programme, Pakistan’s relations with India, and counter-terrorism.

But Ms Curtis also said this kind of hybrid democracy would not be good for Pakistan as it’s “an inherently unstable form of government”.

Trump-era official says should Imran return to power, there will be ‘effort to make amends with Washington’

When asked how Mr Khan’s return to power could influence the US-Pakistan relations, she said: “Even though Imran Khan very unhelpfully used the US as a scapegoat when he lost power, were he to be reelected, there will be a certain amount of pragmatism that might become part of the equation.” She believed there would be “an effort to make amends with Washington”.

Douglas London, a former CIA operative and analyst; Javid Ahmad, a former Afghan ambassador to the UAE; and Hussain Haqqani, Pakistan’s former ambassador to Washington also participated in the discussion. Marvin Weinbaum, director of Pakistan/Afghanistan Studies at the Middle East Institute (MEI), Washington, moderated the session hosted by his institute.

Both Ms Curtis and Mr Haqqani believed Pakistan and the US were not as close as when America was still in Afghanistan. Ms Curtis said the US wanted to ensure Pakistan did not get closer to China and that negative views about Islamabad regarding Afghanistan still prevailed. The US, she added, “wants Pakistan to support it in Ukraine”.

Mr London noted that tensions between the two countries had reduced since the US withdrew from Afghanistan, and Washington didn’t want to lose Islamabad completely as it was a nuclear state. Now, he remarked, there was “more openness” between the intelligence and military services of the two countries, but “little substance”.

Mr Ahmad observed Pakistan had “all ingredients to self-destruct at any time”. Mr Haqqani noted the US-Pakistan relationship began as an economic necessity for Islamabad after the Partition, but its leaders paid little attention to the economic aspect. He added “the sustenance of relations must be economic and not military”.

 

Ms Curtis said America’s main concerns for Pakistan were “nuclear safety and possibility of a failed state”. Mr Ahmad said the US had become a party in Pakistan’s current political infighting because of Imran Khan’s allegations, while Mr London warned Pakistan “could go up in flames” any time if elections were not held and some sort of consensus formed.

Mr Haqqani thought the army was still trying to influence political developments, but from behind the scenes. Ms Curtis commented that the army did not expect the massive support for Imran Khan after he was removed and now the political situation would be “an “enormous challenge” for the next army chief, who “must first rebuild consensus” within the institution.

Mr Haqqani predicted the PTI chief “may win, but not sweep” the next elections as he was not as popular as it seemed. Mr Weinbaum and Mr Ahmed disagreed though with the latter adding that PTI supporters will continue to be a “big challenge” for the military.

“Imran Khan has charisma and is capable of tempering anti-American sentiment if he wants to,” remarked Ms Curtis.

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