A report published by the English daily, Dawn, proved senior anchorperson Hamid Mir’s claims wrong as it has also hinted at the consultations started by the establishment for a caretaker government.
Big announcements are likely to be made today as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will address the nation today, whereas, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will unveil the date of Islamabad long march if the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) government fails to announce fresh elections’ schedule.
Hamid Mir’s claims
While talking to the Geo News program hosted by Shahzeb Khanzada, Hamid Mir said that he was told by the PTI leadership regarding Sheikh Rasheed’s claim for ongoing consultations for a caretaker government. He claimed that the PTI leaders refuted Rasheed’s statement.
Mir censured that Sheikh Rasheed’s statements are just rumours and the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) also rejected the former interior minister’s claims. The senior anchorperson said that Rasheed should clarify his position after giving a statement regarding interviews for the caretaker prime minister and the strategy to form an interim government.
PTI sources tell @HamidMirPAK that Sheikh Rasheed spreads confusion and disinformation using PTI platform pic.twitter.com/sPr3RjW91b
— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) May 19, 2022
Hamid Mir challenged Sheikh Rasheed to prove him false after the military’s media wing rejected the claims. He further slammed Rasheed, saying that he is a clever politician and used to misguide people by using the name of the national institutions.
Sheikh Rasheed’s claims
Yesterday, Sheikh Rasheed, while talking to a special transmission of ARY News, predicted that ‘important decisions will be taken on May 31’ and ruled out the possibility of the present government led by Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) completing its 1.5-year tenure.
He claimed that talks are underway in Islamabad for a caretaker government which will be led by an economist.
“Talks are underway in Islamabad for a caretaker government. Asif Ali Zardari is a hurdle in the fresh elections as he is opposing new polls. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari went to a meeting which will be attended by 4 to 5 ministers from across the globe.”
“An economist will head the upcoming caretaker government. Talks are underway to finalise the name of the economist,” claimed Rasheed.
He claimed that the present government’s request to give 1.5-year time for the new polls was rejected. “Shehbaz Sharif is fully aware of the political loss of PML-N in case of any delay in the polls.”
Najam Sethi also wrote on Twitter, “Should this govt dissolve parliament and order elections under pressure from Miltablishment? Or should it dare Miltablishment to kick it out because it won’t take dictation?”
Should this govt dissolve parliament and order elections under pressure from Miltablishment ? Or should it dare Miltablishment to kick it out because it wont take dictation?
— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) May 19, 2022
‘Economists met military leaders’
The report published by Daily Dawn read, “The federal capital on Thursday remained in the grip of speculation that the ‘establishment’ had started consultations over the formation of an interim government, ahead of possible early elections.”
Political circles were also perturbed by the rumours about the possibility of a caretaker set-up coming in amid calls for early elections. Perhaps it was in this backdrop that top leaders from the main ruling coalition partners, PPP and PML-N, declared that they would be more than happy to go for early polls.
The conjecturing began after reports emerged that former finance ministers Dr Hafiz Sheikh and Shaukat Tarin, along with former State Bank governor Raza Baqir, had met with senior military leaders.
A source confirmed to Dawn that Dr Hafeez Shaikh had indeed participated in a meeting with the military leadership in the presence of at least two other technocrats-turned-politicians, who have held top positions in the Finance Ministry in the past.
“The agenda of the meeting was to deliberate over the way forward with respect to the resumption of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme,” the source further said, adding that there was consensus on the need for putting up a joint front while dealing with the fund.
“Pakistan needs the IMF loan. We shouldn’t play politics on economic issues,” one of the participants of the meeting was quoted as having said during the interaction.
However, Inter-Services Public Relations, when asked about reports of such meetings, said: “These are all rumours and baseless statements which have no truth.”