ISLAMABAD: A rift has erupted among the corridors of power as the prime minister has refused to take any action against several of his top aides for the handing of the coronavirus crisis.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has been receiving immense pressure to remove Special Assistant for Overseas Pakistani Zulfikar Bukhari and Principal Secretary Azam Khan. There are even calls for the removal of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar but the prime minister has resisted such moves.
This has created a new rift between the prime minister and other institutions which hold more sway in the country. They have demanded the immediate removal of the three high-profile officials who are considered close to the prime minister. Opposition leader Shehhaz Sharif has also been allowed to return to the country ‘silent mandate’ during the coronavirus crisis.
Well-placed sources have revealed that the prime minister was advised to impose a complete lockdown in the country due to the emergency situation in the country over the coronavirus crisis. The prime minister ignored the advice despite having complete control over the governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In his address to the nation on March 22, the prime minister was adamant against imposing a lockdown. This has caused immense displeasure among other national institutions who sidelined the prime minister and took matters in their own hands. The prime minister’s adviser on national security Moeed Yousaf made it clear that no lockdown was being imposed and then the premier came to address the nation again that the situation has not reached a condition to impose such a restrictive lockdown.
Well-placed sources have not confirmed that military leadership called for a Corps Commanders Conference via video right on a single agenda right after the prime minister’s address. The military leadership is disappointed over not removing Chief Minister Buzdar along with ‘imported advisers’ and the principal secretary whose advice has aggravated the situation.
A strong message was sent to the prime minister’s house and the military took matters in their own hands. The next day Article 245 was imposed in Punjab which calls the army to come in aid of the civil government. A notification was drafted and the prime minister’s advice was sidelined as a lockdown was enforced in Punjab.
The task of reaching a national consensus among political parties on the coronavirus crisis had also been taken away from the prime minister. National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser had started meeting with opposition parties to hold an All-Parties Conference over the crisis. It is now being revealed that the task has now been handed over to Shehbaz Sharif. The PML-N president was instructed to return from London immediately and work on this initiative. This move is to send a message to the prime minister and also indicates that a change in Punjab is on the horizon in which the former chief minister has a key role.
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