Amid the chaos over an assassination bid on former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday met Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, sources from the general headquarters (GHQ) of the Army at Rawalpindi told CNN-News18. Khan had called on Alvi to “act now" and stop the massive “abuse" of citizens at the hands of “rogue elements" in the government.
During his long march on Thursday, Khan nearly escaped an assassination attempt after being shot at. He sustained bullet injuries in the right leg and underwent a surgery. He was discharged from the hospital on Sunday and has been moved to a private residence in Lahore.
In a letter to the president accessed by CNN-News18, Khan had stated that since the removal of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, the country has been “confronted with an ever-increasing scale of false allegations, harassment, arrests, and custodial torture".
Alvi and Bajwa are said to have discussed the political situation and the way forward, according to sources.
THE POINTS THAT CAME UP
Among the issues that were discussed was the dialogue between the government and Opposition. As of now, the two are seen at war with each other, with Khan even blaming the ruling dispensation for the attack on him.
The extension or appointment of the next COAS also came up. Bajwa is set to retire on November 29 and has not sought an extension. News18 had reported Lt. General Asim Munir, Lt. General Sahir Shamshad & Lt. General Nauman are among the candidates in the running for the job.
They also spoke about Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Long March from Tuesday, said the source.
Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman is also likely to visit the country in November, which also came up for discussion, said the source.
The President discussed the institutional commitments of the Pakistan Army with his COAS, and all aspects of the regional, international and internal security situation," said the source.
A Corp commanders meeting, too, will be held on Tuesday.
KHAN’s LETTER TO ALVI
In his letter, Khan had alleged that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah “repeatedly issued death threats" to him and that he was informed of an assassination plot “hatched by PM Shahbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and a senior military official".
Khan requested that as the head of the State of Pakistan and “also as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces under Article 243 (2)" of the Constitution, Alvi take note of the “following serious wrongdoings that undermine Pakistan’s national security".
President Dr. Arif Alvi and the First Lady Begum Samina Arif Alvi visited Shaukat Khanum Hospital, Lahore, to inquire after the health of the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Imran Khan, who was wounded during a failed assassination attempt while he was addressing the (1/6)— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) November 5, 2022
In a three-point list, he highlighted the “wrongdoings". Firstly, he maintained that “a breach of the Official Secrets Act occurred when confidential conversation between myself as PM, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS)" and another military official were leaked to the media.
Khan stated that “the parameters of a military information organisation such as the ISPR also need to be clearly defined and limited to information relating to defence and military issues".
He called on President Alvi “as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces" to initiate the “drawing up of these clear operational lines for the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR)".
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