Govt on back foot as army looks to continue mediation

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Govt on back foot as army looks to continue ‘mediation’

By Baqir Sajjad Syed | Iftikhar A. Khan
Updated 30 minutes ago
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[TD="class: media__caption media__caption--black"] Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif. — AP Photo/File[/TD]
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ISLAMABAD: Still reeling from the blowback of asking the military to step in to alleviate the prevailing political crisis, the government received another jolt on Friday evening when the Inter-Services Public Relations clarified that it was, in fact, the government that had asked Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif to “facilitate” negotiations with the protesting parties — the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).

But even as politicians on both sides traded barbs all day long — each side accusing the other of inviting the army into the fray — military sources said that the army was going to continue in its role as mediator between the government and the protesting parties.

“The army’s role (as mediator) is continuing and it will certainly guarantee the implementation of any agreement that the protesting parties reach with the government,” a source privy to the hectic behind-the-scenes efforts told Dawn on Friday.


ISPR tweet contradicts PM’s claim that govt didn’t initiate contact with military; Nisar maintains govt asked for ‘facilitation’, not ‘mediation’


Explaining the role given to the army by the government, the source said their first target was to restart the stalled dialogue between both sides.

Accordingly, Gen Raheel Sharif met PTI and PAT leaders and underscored the need for resuming negotiations.

The source said that the protesting parties had a deep-rooted mistrust of the government and were not ready to trust them. Therefore, the army would guarantee the implementation of any agreement between the two sides.

On Friday morning, Syed Khursheed Shah, the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, asked ISPR to clarify whether the army had been asked to intercede by the protesting parties.

Maj Gen Asim Bajwa, who heads the military’s media relations wing, tweeted on Friday evening: “COAS was asked by the govt to play facilitative role for resolution of current impasse, in yesterday’s meeting, at PM House.”

Mr Sharif had met the army chief on Thursday and asked him to help resolve the crisis brought on by the PTI and PAT protests in Islamabad. Following the PM’s directions, the army chief held meetings with PTI chief Imran Khan and PAT leader Dr Tahirul Qadri late on Thursday night.

Following their meetings, both leaders told supporters that the army had promised to act as a guarantor and a mediator.

This contradicted the stance taken by the government on the floor of the National Assembly earlier in the day, where Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said: “The army has neither asked for a mediatory role, nor have we requested them to do so.”

However, shortly after the tweet, the government tried to fight back from the awkward position it found itself in after the ISPR statement.

The charge was led by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who based his defence on the claim that the government had asked the military for “facilitation”, not “mediation”.

He accused the PTI and PAT of trying to use the army to further their personal political agenda.

Addressing a press conference, he said that confusion about the army’s role in the dialogue had been created deliberately.

“The government has assigned the army the responsibility of playing a facilitative role and nothing should be construed beyond that,” he remarked, downplaying rumours of a rift between the civilian and military leadership.

He said the armed forces were apolitical and discharged their duties within the ambit of the law. The decision to involve the army was also in line with the constitution, he said, adding that the words ‘mediator’ and ‘guarantor’ were being used to convey an incorrect impression. He said the ISPR statement had been issued in consultation with the government and reflected the government’s point of view.

He maintained that the protesting parties had confidence in the army and had already rejected any mediation through parliament, civil society as well as various administrative and judicial forums for the settlement of the prevailing dispute.

The minister, though, was optimistic that a solution to the crisis could be found through dialogue.

He said that two heads of state had already cancelled visits to Pakistan over the sit-ins. The Chinese president is scheduled to arrive on an important visit next month, a visit that will see energy agreements to the tune of 10,000 megawatts and other pacts in the defence arena. “This has also been conveyed to the army chief,” he said.

Separately, sources from the government side denied Chaudhry Nisar’s claim that the ISPR chief’s statement on Friday night was issued “in consultation” with the government.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2014
 
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Rizwan2009

Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
پاکستان ميں مونچھوں والے جرنيلوں کا کردار بڑا اہم رہا ہے ايوب خان سکندر مرزا ضياءالحق پرويز مشرف جنرل وحيد کاکڑ سب کي موچھيں تھيں اب جرنل راحيل شريف صاحب کى بھي مونچھيں ہيں ديکھيں يہ مونچھيں کچھ کرسکتى ہيں يانہيں
 

pkpatriot

Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
FACILITATION ??? what does it mean

when both parties already have direct access to each other anytime..

What a JOKE??

Govt. cannot stand by their decisions
 

Rizwan2009

Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
پاکستانى قوم کو اپنے گناہوں کى سزا ضرور ملے گى جو اس نے دو ہزار تيرہ کے اليکشن ميں چوروں اور ڈاکوؤں کو ووٹ ڈال کر کيئے ہيں يہ پارليمنٹ اور اس ميں بيٹھنے والے سب چور اچکے اسى عوام کے سر پرمسلط رہيں گے اور ان کے سينوں پر بيٹھ کر مونگ دليں گے پاکستانى قوم چيخيں مارے گى مگر کوئى نہيں سنے گا اس وقت پاکستانى قوم جمہوريت کى دوزخ ميں اپنے گناہوں کى سزا پارہى ہے ديکھيۓ اللہ کب اس قوم پر رحم فرمائے گا اور اس کى سزا معاف ہوگى يہ آنے والا وقت ہى بتا سکتا ہے
 

imtiazahmed

MPA (400+ posts)
Turn of the tide

TURN OF THE TIDE
A dharna/protest or whatever in Red Zone by two parties has gained some new revival when Nawaz Sharif played the most stupid game of his life as he called the Army Chief and asked to meddle into and to finish this Dharna. The more stupid game he played when there was uproar in the Assembly when Army role was inducted in this melee, Nawaz Sharif blatantly lied that he never asked Gen. Raheel Sharif to become arbiter and end this dharna. This last event changed the world for Nawaz Sharif completely. On one hand, he purchased the rage of parliamentarians who were vowing they were right behind the PM - rains or storms. On the other hand, he has created oceanic distance between him and Army.

Sharif Brothers are eating the pudding they have themselves cooked. They were intoxicated that whatever wrong they would do, they would get away with this as judiciary (in the back of their minds) was in their pockets. They removed all the professional and experienced bureaucrats and appointed their own pets especially in the police and civil security agencies. Nepotism was at its best. They ruthlessly used Rana Sanaullah who has direct link with Punjabi Talibans. If PTI says this is a sort of kingdom and there is nothing democratic culture in PML-N quarters, they are dead correct in their saying.

Now what lies ahead. The sanest thing remains for Sharif Brothers is to advise the President to dissolve the parliament and a new election be held within six months as per constitution. However, the investigation and prosecution in the previous election riggings and Model Town tragedy are bound to be faced by these brothers come what may.
Now something about Imran Khan. No doubt, Imran Khan has gained a mass popularity in the urban areas of Pakistan. But when he says umpires finger is about to be raised he looks like a second version of PML-Q. Every popular leader dreams to be PM, but my question is does he want to be PM of B-Team under the umbrella of powers that be?. He should not go blind to take personal revenge from Sharif Brothers at the cost of countrys stability and democratic norms. He should defeat them politically. Let me tell loud and clear, a wounded PML-N and out of power, they can produce more hell for Imran Khan.
 

crankthskunk

Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
The strangest thing is that despite all the lies and explanations by the government and the PM himself, the newspaper is writing that the Army would be the guarantor of any agreement reached between the parties.

Wasn't that the bone of contention yesterday, the word "Guarantor"? So, if the army would make sure the agreement is implemented they are the "Guarantors", are they not?
 

M javed

Banned
Facilitating Dialogue

Does facilitating dialogue between the protesters and the government means to act as an umpire, a guarantor or an arbitrator.

'Facilitating Dialogue' is not un-democratic or unconstitutional act.

Words of the tweet are not too ambiguous to understand

It is like a back door diplomacy

In the NRO deal, there were involved America and UK as guarantors and mediators, nobody asked why the other political forces were not brought on board.
 

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