Pakistan: Imran Khan in trouble as Saudi Arabia launches former army chief General Raheel Sharif into politics

Islamabad: The countdown to the downfall of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has begun.

Imran Khan has been caught between a rock and a hard place. Actually, former Pakistan Army chief General (retired) Rahil Sharif is going to enter the political arena of Pakistan amidst the tension between the current army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Imran Khan.

Those keeping a close watch on Pakistan’s politics say that Saudi Arabia as well as several Gulf countries are trying to get Rahil Sharif into Pakistan’s politics.

According to media reports, many Arab countries are trying to get former Army Chief General Raheel Sharif into politics.

Speculation over this issue is also rife in Pakistani social media. According to experts, if General Raheel Sharif enters Pakistan politics, Imran Khan’s position as prime minister will be in danger.

Actually, Raheel Sharif is very popular in Pakistan. Raheel Sharif retired as the Chief of Army Staff in 2016. Raheel Sharif and his entire family are seen with great respect in Pakistan. Raheel’s father was a major in the Pakistan Army and his late brother Major Shabbir Sharif received Pakistan’s highest gallantry award.

As soon as he took over as army chief, General Raheel Sharif attacked the militants in Waziristan strongly. After this, the militant attacks in northern Pakistan were reduced considerably. This had greatly increased his popularity.

Raheel Sharif thought it better to retire than to occupy power, because of this he is seen with great respect in Pakistan. When he retired, he was given a grand farewell from the streets to social media.

In 2014, he had crushed a rebellion against the government of ISI Chief Zahirul Islam. It is believed that Arab countries are now encouraging General Raheel Sharif to enter politics to take advantage of this popularity.

This latest news comes amid a visit by Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa along with the head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed to Riyadh in order to meet the Saudi leadership in an effort to fix the ties between the two countries.

The trip holds importance as it comes after Saudi Arabia reacted to the statement by Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who raised serious questions over the OIC on the Kashmir issue, threatening to hold a conference of foreign ministers from Muslim countries in another country without the cooperation of the OIC.

The statement saw an angry response from the Saudi leadership, which put a halt to the $3.2 billion oil credit facility that was provided to Pakistan in 2018, along with a demand for the return of a $3 billion loan that it banked in Pakistan as a bailout package.

According to experts, General Raheel Sharif has the support of Saudi Arabia. General Raheel Sharif was the commander of the Saudi-backed forces in the Yemen civil war.

Saudi Arabia and several other Arab countries are angry with Imran Khan due to Pakistan’s increasing proximity to Turkey, Malaysia and China. It is being that due to this, Arab countries including Saudi Arabia want to introduce Rahil Sharif in Pakistan’s politics. (Agencies)