Arif Hameed Bhatti, a prominent journalist and political commentator, revealed in a talk-show, Breaking Point with Malick, that the establishment has “secretly conveyed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to resolve the ongoing political impasse in the country”.
Bhatti also revealed that Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) secretary general Muhammad Ali Durrani called on PML-N President and National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif in Kot Lakhpat jail after he was asked “by the establishment to go to jail”.
“During my meeting with Shehbaz, I conveyed an important message of the party chief Syed Sibghatullah Rashidi [Pir of Pagaro] to him. Mr Shehbaz is asked to play his role in stopping the opposition from resigning from the assemblies as the move could wrap up the democratic system. There is a need to initiate a grand dialogue among the national institutions and politicians, make the parliament functional and gather all Muslim Leagues under one platform,” Mr Durrani told media persons after the meeting.
Notably, on the eve of November 30, Muhammad Malick, a prominent Pakistani journalist, revealed that “the top army brass is under no internal pressure to create space for opposition parties”. While speaking to Nasim Zehra on channel 24, Malick maintained that the narrative projected by Nawaz Sharif and Maulana Fazalur Rehman won’t be of any use in the long run. “To be fair, this narrative can create some excitement but it is not sustainable,” he said.
Read More: Does the government really want to bring Nawaz Sharif back to Pakistan?
PDM has been seen carrying an anti-establishment narrative since its creations. Nawaz Sharif named the Army Chief and DG ISI for political engineering in the country. “General Bajwa is responsible for installing incompetent Imran Khan,” he said while addressing PDM rally from London.
Sources claim that the establishment now seems to be ready for talks, albeit its reluctance to give NRO to the Sharif family, to end the prevailing political insecurity. “The establishment cannot remove Prime Minister Imran Khan from the office for its own sake but there are some concessions to be given to PML-N, PPP and JUI-F,” a reliable source told GVS. However, it is yet to be seen if Prime Minister Imran Khan shall accept any such deal or not.
No NRO for corrupt leaders, Imran Khan
Prime Minister Imran Khan termed the Pakistan Democratic Movement rally held on Sunday “pathetic” and reiterated his long-sworn vow that he will “never give an NRO”. “Pathetic. PDM spent so much money, time, effort and displayed utter callousness by endangering people’s lives during COVID-19 spike,” he wrote.
He said that by holding the rally the Opposition parties showed “scant regard” for the safety of citizens and their well-being. “All this just to blackmail me into giving them an NRO to save their looted wealth,” the prime minister said.
Let me once again reiterate: I will never give an NRO. Whatever future plans of further blackmail PDM may have, my message is categorical: There will never be an NRO from my govt no matter what tactics the looters devise.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 13, 2020
He followed by saying: “Let me once again reiterate: I will never give an NRO.” “Whatever future plans of further blackmail PDM may have, my message is categorical: There will never be an NRO from my government no matter what tactics the looters devise,” the premier added.
What is NRO?
On October 5, 2007, the-then Pakistani President and Army Chief, General Pervez Musharraf, had enforced the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), which had granted amnesty to politicians, political workers, and bureaucrats who were accused of corruption, money laundering, murders, and terrorism etc between January 1, 1986, and October 12, 1999 — the time between two Martial Law stints in Pakistan.
https://twitter.com/Farah_adeed/status/1338184860079415299?s=20
The NRO came into existence just 40 days before the stipulated five-year tenure of the PML-Q was supposed to end.
The NRO was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on December 16, 2009, but not before it had benefited 8,041 allegedly tainted people, including 34 politicians and three ambassadors.