New Delhi: Amidst the Election Commission of Pakistan’s move to remove former Prime Minister Imran Khan from the post of PTI chairman following his disqualification in the Toshakhana case, the corridors of power also brainstorm on holding general elections and electing a new government to topple the current one. Its going on. Political deadlock in the country. However, the focus of the discussion is this – who will be Pakistan’s interim prime minister – a man acceptable to all, including the all-powerful military – ahead of general elections due later this year?
In this connection, the name of Mohsin Baig, who was once close to PTI chief and former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, is in discussion. According to India Narrative, Mohsin Baig – a renowned but controversial journalist, could be the new Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan, given his closeness with Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir.
However, activists of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are worried after the spread of rumors that Mohsin Baig may be appointed as caretaker prime minister after the government’s term is over.
PTI activists are currently very worried that if Baig is elected as the interim prime minister, the ongoing crackdown against him will intensify. Significantly, Mohsin Baig was arrested in the last days of his government after increasing rift with Imran Khan.
Who is Mohsin Baig?
Mohsin Baig is the editor of Online News Agency, which provides services to all major newspapers of Pakistan. Baig was once a close friend and confidante of Prime Minister Imran Khan over the years. Baig used to travel in the same plane as Imran Khan because of his association with the then Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Mohsin Baig in a recent interview made explosive allegations on Imran Khan and rejected his rhetoric of Riyasat-e-Madina. Baig also revealed that for eight years the rent for Khan’s residence was paid by none other than the US Consulate. After this, Beg Safi’s interview started appearing on TV channels. According to sources, Baig is known for his connections within the Pakistani establishment and it will not be easy for the government to keep him behind bars.
“I am saying this on national television, and he can sue me if he wants, but I want to tell you all that Imran Khan is fooling people in the name of American conspiracy. Paying rent.” for eight years. He’s a real American agent,” Begg said.
Beg’s bombshell tore a hole in Khan’s carefully crafted narrative that his government had been brought down in a vote of no confidence by the Americans, who had become hostile to him because of his government’s independent foreign policy.
In fact, Khan had repeatedly alleged that his downfall was due to the diligence of David Lu, assistant secretary of the US Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. Lu apparently met Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington last March, where he was told that Khan should go to a no-confidence vote to be held a month later.
In line with the move to an interim arrangement, Jahangir Khan Tareen, who has nested a number of fugitives from Khan’s parent organisation, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), is moving towards new horizons. Tareen, who has formed the Istkaam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), left for London on Sunday to garner support from the Pakistani diaspora for his new outfit.
According to The News International website, Tareen is expected to stay in the UK for over a week, during which he will hold meetings with expatriate Pakistanis and undergo his medical tests. There are speculations that he may also meet PMLN leaders in London.
Several heavyweights have left PTI to join the IPP, including Fawad Chaudhry, former Sindh governor Imran Ismail and Amir Kiyani. As Pakistan sinks deeper into an economic quagmire, politicians have begun focusing on migrants as a potential silver bullet to salvage the crisis-hit South Asian country’s economy.
In a Zoom call on Sunday with his rapidly dwindling stock of loyalists, Khan also talked about the crucial role that the Pak diaspora can play in saving the sinking ship of the economy. The News International reported that the former PM said that overseas Pakistanis trust him and he can ensure that billions of dollars are invested in him once he comes back to power. He said the expatriate would never trust the ruling coalition led by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
He told party loyalists, who declared their full support, that his wife – Bushra Bibi – also supported him and stood firm as a rock. Significantly, former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who is number two in the PTI hierarchy, was absent from the virtual meeting. During the call, Khan said that he alone can help the country out of the current economic crisis.