Imran has no political future, lest he takes the ‘democratic route,’ and Bilawal does.
As Pakistan’s democratic future hangs in the balance, the country’s Foreign Minister has described the nation as being in a “transitional condition.”
Imran Khan, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), may not have a future in politics if he refuses to follow “the democratic route,” according to Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
As part of his participation in the Munich Security Conference, the foreign minister is currently in Germany.
The minister stated in a CNBC interview “There is no hiding Pakistan’s past from anyone. I believe Pakistan is currently in a phase of transition, and it could definitely go either way. More than half of our nation’s history has been spent under direct military administration, with several transitions occurring in between.”
He went on to say that the outcome “may mean a victory and a strengthening of the democratic forces or it could mean a success and a strengthening of the undemocratic, unconstitutional forces.”
Bilawal continued by saying that he saw two recent events—removal Imran’s from office and General (ret.) Qamar Javed Bajwa’s declaration of neutrality—as being crucial for Pakistan’s future.
Bilwal called the vote of no confidence that removed the PTI leader from office a “institutional and democratic milestone.”
“If you are a member of his party, you might not agree with the outcomes of the vote of no confidence, but in the history of Pakistan, it is an important accomplishment that the prime minister has not been removed by a military officer or had their resignation imposed by a court. The democratic procedure was observed.”
Furthermore, he noted that it was a significant development that “the former chief of army staff stood up and gave a speech in his uniform where he accepted that the military used to interfere in politics in the past and that this is not good, neither for the institution nor for the country and they would like to transition away from that.”
He insisted that all those in the nation who favour democracy should applaud the military’s “public” acknowledgment that it wants to transition from a “controversial position to a constitutional role.”
He asserted that Pakistan’s “issue” is that the “opposition is saying: no, you [the army] need to have a role, come back have a role, and assist us go into power.”
The minister emphasised that such military actions do not advance the military or the interests of the country.
Bilawal responded that while he “never says never in politics,” he nonetheless “encouraged” Imran to “pursue the democratic road” when asked explicitly if he thought Imran still had a future in Pakistani politics.
Imran “will most likely have a future in politics if he continues to take the democratic route,” he added. “This has been my message to Mr. Khan ever since he was prime minister or when he was leaving office and up to this day.”
Imran will be lost to history like many others before him, according to Bilawal, who urged the former premier to “alter his objection from come intervene in politics” to “everyone agreeing to play a constitutional role in politics.”
Throughout Pakistan’s political history, “undemocratic forces have had their day, but it has never been long-lived,” he continued.
