Internal politics heats up in Pakistan, petition filed against General Bajwa

Islamabad: Pakistan Military chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa is an Ahmadiyya and not a Muslim. A petition has been filed in the Peshawar high court, claiming that his religion disqualifies him from occupying the post of Pakistan army chief. Khalid Shah, former Major in the Pakistan army has filed the petition. The petition alleges that General Rizwan Akhtar, chief of Pakistan intelligence agency, ISI, was aware of this information regarding General Bajwa, but he did not expose it.

Reports of a divide in the Pakistan military had surfaced, some time ago. It was also exposed that severe differences had developed between Prime Minister Imran Khan and army chief General Bajwa. It is claimed that this was the reason for the Prime Minister to take a two-day holiday. The talk is that the Pakistan military chief is planning to send Imran Khan on a perpetual holiday. Moulana Fazlur Rehman had rocked Imran Khan holding massive protests in Islamabad. But then Moulana Fazlur Rehman suddenly withdrew the protests. Reports are being received that Fazlur Rehman withdrew the protests as he received an assurance that Prime Minister Imran Khan will be removed soon.

Therefore, indications are that the differences between Imran Khan and General Bajwa have aggravated further. In such a scenario, a petition accusing that General Bajwa is Ahmadiyya and not a Muslim has been filed in the Peshawar High court. Pakistan has refused to accept Ahmadiyya people as Muslims.

Ahmadiyya are called Qadiani in Pakistan and the common belief in Pakistan is that they all are enemies of Pakistan. Imran Khan had appointed Atif Miyan as the economic advisor to his government. But he had to be asked to resign from the post, as the public opinion was against appointing a Qadiani on important posts.

Generally, there is anger and hatred regarding the Qadiani people in the Pakistan population which hits this religious minority. Therefore, the allegation that General Bajwa is from this community has created a sensation in Pakistan. Internal politics in the Pakistan military is behind this and indications are that this could also be a sequel to the government and military conflict.

Extremist analyst Zaid Hamid recently claimed that Qadiani people are there at high posts in Pakistan and their details have been kept under wraps. Zaid had said that the Qadiani people are enemies of Pakistan and therefore should not be allowed to join the military services or the ISI, as this could prove to be a major threat to Pakistan.

Moreover, Zaid Hamid claimed that the Qadiani people are receiving aid from India and their loyalties cannot be there with Pakistan. Major Khalid Shah’s petition was filed on the basis of the claims made by Zaid Hamid, during an interview with Abdul Basit, former Pakistan Ambassador to India.

Two factions have developed in the Pakistan military and one of the factions is against General Bajwa. General Bajwa was given an extension of three years in the month of August, this year. The internal politics has intensified since then and now it seems the conflict has reached the high court.

Pakistan media have been claiming that there are severe differences between Prime Minister Imran Khan and General Bajwa. The Pakistani journalists are pointing out that Imran Khan went on a holiday only after meeting General Bajwa.

It was Pakistan military which put its weight behind Imran Khan and threw out the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. But Imran Khan has miserably failed on all the fronts, after becoming the Prime Minister. With a major failure on the economic front the Tomato prices have shot up to Rupees 400 and onion has scaled Rs. 100 per kilo. Criticism is rife that Imran Khan was unable to do anything, when India changed the status of Jammu-Kashmir into a union territory, removing the special status.

Pakistan government has failed to initiate a major political campaign against India on the international level. Pakistan military chief is unhappy about this and there are talks that therefore he is preparing to remove Imran Khan he fears that Imran Kahn will take the country to the dumps.

Some Pakistani journalists created sensation publishing reports regarding this. These journalists claim that opposition leader Moulana Fazlur Rehman withdrew the agitation against the Imran Khan government, only after receiving an assurance that Imran Khan will be removed from the Prime Minister’s post.

Whereas, the indications given by the petition filed in the Peshawar high court are that one of the groups in Pakistan Military opposed to General Bajwa, is trying to target him, using Imran Khan.