Having slammed the US for "liking only those governments in Muslim countries that are your slaves," [3] opposition leader Imran Khan, just as we warned here [4], has given the army 24 hours to prepare a broad-based reform agreement on behalf of the government (having been asked by Prime Minister Sharif)... i.e. coup-prone Pakistan appears to be back under military rule (for now). Then things got even more bizarre as WSJ reports, Prime Minister Sharif is to face murder charges related to the killing of 10 Muslim cleric Qadri's followers. Qadriu has agreed to wait 24 hours for the army response before announcing his strategy.
As The Times Of India reports, [5]
Political crisis in Pakistan took a new turn on Thursday with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif agreeing to face a murder case relating to the killing of 14 followers of cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri, as Imran Khan kept up pressure insisting on the embattled premier's resignation.
For the second time in three days, Pakistan's powerful army chief Raheel Sharif met Nawaz Sharif to discuss the over two weeks-long political turmoil.
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It began... (via Bloomberg)
- *KHAN SAYS HE WILL BE MEETING PAKISTAN GOVT FOR NEGOTIATIONS
Then...
- *PAKISTAN ARMY ASKED TO NEGOTIATE ON BEHALF OF GOVT: QADRI
Prime Minister requested army chief to mediate to settle political stalemate, in a meeting held earlier, senior official with knowledge of the matter tells Bloomberg’s Kamran Haider.
- *PAKISTAN ARMY ASKS FOR 24HRS TO PREPARE AGREEMENT: QADRI
The Army aims to prepare a deal acceptable to all stakeholders, cleric Ul-Qadri tells supporters in Islamabad.
Offer to include demands of electoral reforms, registration of police case against those resposible for deaths of workers in clashes with authorities in Lahore, for which Qadri blames current govt
- *PAKISTAN'S IMRAN KHAN AND CLERIC QADRI TO MEET ARMY CHIEF: ARMY
Qadri to delay announcing his strategy for agreement by 24 hours to allow Army to make proposal to opposition, government supporters
And then things get crazy...
- *PAKISTAN PRIME MINISTER SHARIF TO FACE MURDER CHARGES: WSJ
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and several other high government officials are to face murder charges from Pakistani police, WSJ said, citing police officials it didn’t identify.
Charges relate to the killing by police in June of at least 10 followers of the Muslim cleric Tahir ul Qadri
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So once again Pakistan faces military rule
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For background on the political turmoil see here [3] and here [4]...
