Coincidence or something else: Top political, military figures staying in Lahore
Top political and military figures chose to stay in the Punjab capital which is probably not a coincidence.
All eyes were trained on an expected breakthrough in national politics as Lahore became the centre of attraction after top political and military figures chose to stay in the Punjab capital which is probably not a coincidence.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is likely to arrive in Lahore after holding consultations with the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif in London on the political situation and the key appointment of the army chief. He was expected to reach the country yesterday but he later extended his stay in London.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa stopped over in Lahore for a night after returning from a farewell trip to the troops and officers in Multan Garrison yesterday, according to Dawn News.
Moreover, President Dr Arif Alvi also reached Lahore who had already facilitated at least one direct meeting between Gen Bajwa and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan at the Presidency. According to the English daily, President Alvi has emerged as the leading figure in the army’s ongoing “backchannel talks” with the PTI.
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It added that the president delivered Gen Bajwa’s message to Mr Khan when he visited him last weekend to inquire about his health.
According to reports, President Alvi is scheduled to meet both Khan and Gen Bajwa on Saturday. PTI did not rule out the possibility of a meeting between the three or President Alvi coming with a new message from the military leadership.
PTI chief Imran Khan is already in Lahore, recuperating from the wounds he suffered in an assassination attempt on him in Wazirabad during the long march earlier this month.
The meeting(s) would be taking place against the backdrop of reports that ex-premier Nawaz Sharif had refused to give any “concessions” for easing political tensions. Earlier reports suggested that the army had been pressuring both the PTI and PML-N to back off so that the coming transition could go ahead smoothly, the English daily reported.
