Daily Times

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has advised President Dr Arif Alvi against creating any “sort of disorder” in the next army chief’s appointment.

Addressing a news conference, he said that it was the “last chance” for the president and he would have to bear any “consequence” for any disorder. “As long as Arif Alvi sahab’s role is concerned, his test has been taken before whether he will stay loyal to Pakistan, its Constitution, its nation and democracy or will he fulfil his friendship with [Imran] Khan sahab.” “At the time of the vote of no confidence, President Arif Alvi […] tried to unconstitutionally dissolve the assemblies,” FM Bilawal said, hoping that this time around everything would proceed in accordance with the Constitution and the law. Bilawal claimed that PTI chief Imran Khan announced his long march in the same week as the appointment of the army chief to “sabotage” the process.

He questioned why Imran had chosen “the very week when the appropriate files must be moved to the appropriate ministries for the nomination of the new chief of army staff” for his long march.

The PPP leader further questioned the PTI chief’s intentions behind choosing Rawalpindi as the location to give his address. “My appeal to [Imran] Khan Sahab is that he keeps doing politics; stays within the boundaries of politics. When he became a part of this game, he is treading on a dangerous path and he can avoid all of this by announcing an appropriate date for his march that does not clash with the process of the appointment of the army chief,” he said.

He further alleged that Imran was aiming to give the “same threat of ‘either martial law or immediate elections'” that he gave when the vote of no confidence was moved against him earlier this year.

Bilawal said that under relevant procedure and laws, the appointment of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) was a prerogative of the incumbent prime minister whereas Imran Khan was trying to make the whole process controversial, which would not be allowed. He said the previous PTI’s government had damaged country’s foreign policy, economy and democratic set up and now Imran Khan only wanted to create political instability which would be strongly resisted.

He said that during International Monetary Fund agreement, Imran Khan had attacked Islamabad, which was foiled. Now all the democratic forces in the country were united and the PTI chief would not be allowed playing such like past tactics, he added. The country and its people could no longer bear any crises, he maintained.

The foreign minister said peaceful demonstration was a democratic right, but no unconstitutional or undemocratic tactics could be allowed and reiterated that Pakistan Peoples Party would play its democratic role as it had manifested in the past by resisting all the undemocratic moves. “Khan sahib wants to stop institutions playing their democratic role. He wants to make undemocratic moves, but we will not allow him,” he added.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the parliamentary parties had played a very democratic role to oust the government of Imran Khan through a vote of no confidence.

The foreign minister said that Imran Khan had always carried out his politics on the shoulders of undemocratic forces.

He said the future of a politician like Imran Khan was linked with making institutions controversial.

If Imran Khan wanted real freedom, then why did he wait for this week for his political objectives? the foreign minister questioned.

Bilawal said the appointment of the new army chief was an administrative decision and its completion would end the politics of Imran Khan.

Bilawal said the entire world was facing economic disaster due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Imran Khan’s decisions had damaged Pakistan’s ties with the countries in the Middle East, Europe and the US, he added.