Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent visit to Beijing Winter Olympics was seen as a search for some solace amid several challenges at home and abroad. And China visit gave him the opportunity.
Pakistan Prime Minister’s visit to Beijing came in a context, where he not only sought to extract more money from the principal benefactor but also secure his waning political fortunes, said Policy Research group (POREG). According to think tank, Khan is wrestling to hold on to power after his confrontation with the Pakistani Army over the appointment of the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence, ISI. The group further said that there are also visible signs of growing cracks within his cabinet.
Moreover, Islamabad faces diplomatic challenges with unrelenting US hostilities, even as Rawalpindi’s proxy regime in Afghanistan seeks to pile on Pakistan over the Durand border issue. Aside from diplomatic and political problems, the worsening economic situation is another front that Imran Khan is struggling to deal with.
“Rising external debt, inflation and unemployment, and sliding forex reserves have accentuated his problems. Moreover, the recent flaring protests in Gwadar and the insurgent violence in Balochistan threaten to harm Pakistan’s core interests,” POREG said. On Thursday, Imran Khan even admitted that he could not bring “change” in the country he had promised at the time he came to power, due to “faults” in the system.
“In the beginning, we wanted to bring change immediately through revolutionary steps, but later realised that our system was incapable of absorbing shock,” Khan said while addressing a public ceremony. Khan further said the government and ministries had not given the desired results. “The biggest problem is that there has been no connection between the government and the interest of the country,” he was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper.
According to think tank, Khan is wrestling to hold on to power after his confrontation with the Pakistani Army over the appointment of the head of the ISI.’