Pakistan Army Chief 'urged' to oust government

Islamabad : Within merely a few days of the visit of the US Senate delegation, Pakistan is showing signs of change in the ruling powers. Thousands of posters urging the Army Chief Raheel Sharif to oust the Nawaz Sharif government and take over, have popped up in 13 cities across Pakistan.

In an interview, the American Senate delegation had expressed that General Sharif, who is slated to retire at the end of the year, be granted an extension of term.

Banners openly asking General Sharif to impose the ‘Martial Law’ and run the government with administrative officers and technocrats, have popped up in 13 Pakistani cities including the capital Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Peshawar. The posters say that this demand has been made by the ‘Move on Pakistan’ party that was formed a mere three years ago.

Ali Hashmi, a leader of this party explained his stand in an interview he gave to a Pakistan daily. ‘The absence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for as long as 40 days, only proves that the country can well do without a government run by political parties. Those who actually run the country can henceforth take care of its affairs as well’, said Hashmi justifying a military takeover of power. He added however, that no reaction to the demand had been received from the military, from the government or from other parties either.

This has in any case become a hot topic with the news media and the social media in Pakistan and claims that the military is gearing up to takeover are being made. Earlier in February, the ‘Move on Pakistan’ party had posted banners asking General Sharif to not retire and work towards eradication of terrorism and corruption. However, the Army chief had stated that he was firm about his retirement and would retire at the end of the year as scheduled.

Sources in the US inform that senior Senator John McCaine, while on the visit to Pakistan as part of the Senate delegation, had praised General Sharif. He had even expressed hope that General Sharif be granted extension of term.