Pakistan: Ahead of no-trust vote, Chinese diplomat reaches out to political leaders
Mar 14, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], March 14 : Amid the ongoing political turmoil in Pakistan, a Chinese senior diplomat met with the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leaders on Sunday to discuss the current political situation in the country.
China, which considers Pakistan as its 'Iron brother', has invested billions of dollars in the country. Rising militancy and increasing political upheaval in Pakistan has jeopardized that investment.
Pang Chunxue, Deputy Head of Mission of the Chinese Embassy, held a meeting with the PML-Q leaders, during which she conveyed that China wants "political and economic stability" in Pakistan, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.
"China wants political and economic stability in Pakistan," Chunxue was quoted as saying in PML-Q's statement.
Chunxue also called on senior PML-Q leaders and discussed in detail the current political situation in Pakistan.
Ahead of the no-trust motion later this month, political instability has gripped Pakistan. Unemployment and deteriorating law and order situation, coupled with economic challenges, the focus has shifted from the core issues, the Tribune reported.
Notably, the Opposition parties in Pakistan are jettisoning mutual hatred to oust Imran Khan as they submitted a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly secretariat last Tuesday.
Calling Imran Khan government's decision to prevent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) members from participating in the no-confidence resolution unconstitutional, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has asked the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) and Chief Election Commissioner to intervene and ensure the protection of lawmakers' right to vote.
Bilawal termed the government's decision a violation of Article 6 of Pakistan's Constitution.
"I will appeal to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the CEC. You must have heard the statements of the Prime Minister. You must have seen the government's tactics," the PPP chairman said at a news conference on Sunday in Islamabad.
"I appeal to you that every member should be allowed to use his right to vote and no one should be allowed to stop them," Bilawal was quoted as saying by Pakistani newspaper Dawn.
