KARACHI: The former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has warned that the arrest of Imran Khan will only deepen the crisis being faced by Pakistan.
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Khalilzad pointed out that Pakistan was facing a triple crisis – political, economic, and security. The former US envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, offered Islamabad advice on how to deal with political, economic and security crises facing the country.
Taking to Twitter the other day, he wrote “the sequential cannibalizing of its leaders through jailing, execution, assassination, etc., is the wrong path.”
The sequential cannibalizing of its leaders through jailing, execution, assassination, etc. is the wrong path. Arresting Imran Khan will only deepen the crisis. I urge 2 steps: 1. Set a date for national elections in early June to avert a meltdown.
— Zalmay Khalilzad (@realZalmayMK) March 14, 2023
“Despite great potential, it is underperforming and falling far behind its archrival, India,” Zalmay Khalilzad said, adding that it was time for serious “soul-searching, bold thinking, and strategising”.
“Arresting Imran Khan will only deepen the crisis,” he said. I urge two steps:
1. Set a date for national elections in early June to avert a meltdown.
2. Use this time for the main political parties to confront what has gone wrong and propose a specific plan to rescue and put the country on a path to stability, security and prosperity. Whichever party wins the election will have a mandate from the people on what must be done.
