There is no doubt about who is actually calling the shots in Pakistan as the Pakistan Army led by General Qamar Javed Bajwa is firmly in the driving seat. Bajwa has been constantly kept busy by the Imran Khan administration as he has often been called on to clean up the mess created by Khan and his administration with Bajwa even taking the matter of reviving Pakistan’s rapidly declining economy in his own hands.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his minions have foolishly picked up a fight against their once traditional ally Saudi Arabia which could have serious implications for Pakistan. In a last ditch attempt to placate Saudi Arabia, Bajwa has reached Riyadh in a clear indication that the Pakistan Army doesn’t echo the views of Imran Khan. The fact that no other government official has accompanied Bajwa also encourages the prospect of a military coup against Imran Khan to prevent the Saudi from taking an anti-Pakistan stance.
After Pakistan Foreign Minister Qureshi’s remarks which threatened Saudi Arabia, the relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have almost reached a point of no return. Army Chief Qamar Bajwa has frantically reached Riyadh in order to ease the rift between the two countries.
According to the Saudi Defence Ministry, Bajwa held talks with Major General Fayyad al-Ruwaili, the kingdom’s chief of general staff. “During their meeting, they discussed prospects of military cooperation and ways to support it as well as other areas of common interest,” read the Ministry’s statement.
All hell broke loose in Pakistan after Qureshi blackmailed the OIC who’s chair is led by Saudi Arabia as during an interview gave an ultimatum to Saudi Arabia, saying that Pakistan will have to look for other options if the OIC doesn’t come forward in support of its stance on Kashmir.
“I am once again respectfully telling OIC that a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers is our expectation. If you cannot convene it, then I’ll be compelled to ask Prime Minister Imran Khan to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir and support the oppressed Kashmiris,” said Qureshi in a TV interview.
Qureshi further exclaimed that OIC- led by Saudi Arabia should decide if it wants to stand with Pakistan on such a sensitive issue, as Pakistan will not wait for Saudi Arabia’s support anymore. Soon after the video made headlines, the Pakistani channel removed Qureshi’s statements on Saudi Arabia but the damage to the Imran Khan government was already done.
Recently, Saudi Arabia made Pakistan payback a part of its $3 billion loan signed during Prince Mohammad Bin Salman’s visit to Pakistan. The latter was forced to payback $1 billion four months ahead of its repayment period. Comically, Pakistan took a loan of $1 billion from China to payback the Saudis. Saudi Arabia is also demanding that Pakistan also payback another $1 billion of the loan. The $3.2 billion oil credit facility extended to Pakistan has also expired with Riyadh paying no heed to Pakistani requests to extend the oil facility.
Clearly, Bajwa appears to be more sensible as compared to Imran Khan and realises the importance of Saudi Arabia who has time and again bailed out terror country from an economic collapse. Bajwa, it seems, doesn’t align with Khan’s idea of siding with Turkey and make Erdogan the new caliph of the Muslim world. Bajwa might be tired of cleaning up Khan’s blunders and it is not far fetched to say that Khan will be offered as a sacrificial lamb to placate the powerful Saudis.
