Former United States Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has expressed concerns over the current political turmoil in Pakistan in a series of tweets.
Taking to Twitter the other day, he commended the bail granted to former Prime Minister Imran Khan by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in multiple cases, calling it a “fragile sign of hope” for the country.
The former US ambassador’s tweets come in the wake of the ongoing political crisis in Pakistan, with protests and unrest erupting across the country. It remains to be seen how Khalilzad’s proposed solutions will be received by the Pakistani government and military officials.
Khalilzad proposed a two-step solution to the ongoing crisis in Pakistan. In his tweets, he suggested that stability would not return to the country without the resignation of General Munir Asim, the Chief of Staff of the Pakistani Army. Khalilzad also noted that there is growing opposition within the military to the heavy-handed overreach of some officials.
While acknowledging that the temporary release of Imran Khan can prevent a disaster in Pakistan, Khalilzad emphasized that the country’s economic, political, and security crisis will worsen without the resignation of Munir Asim and the holding of timely elections.
The former US Envoy went on to allege that General Munir Asim did his job wrongly and alienated the people, resulting in the loss of support from many senior Pakistani officials. Khalilzad urged Asim to resign as a “patriot” and noted that he has lost his position at the global level.
