Pakistan Army May Dump Imran Khan

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This is from the South China Morning Post here.  Do read my comments below.


Imran Khan is blur.



Pakistani doctors arrested for protesting lack of equipment to fight virus

army ushered  Khan into office 2 years ago amid electoral irregularitiesmilitary to withdraw support for Khan as Covid-19 soarscountry’s problems : Covid, locusts, soaring inflation, floods, food shortagesKhan liability for military sponsors
Pressure on powerful military to withdraw support for Khanafter controversial decision to prematurely lift lockdown country to be worst infected by Covid-19 in the world
less than 100,000 cases beginning June300,000 by end June over 1 million by late July or early Augustminister Asad Umar said on Sunday
mass outbreaks in 20 citiespublic health system overwhelmed People turned away by hospitals infection peaks coincide with monsoon seasonworst locust infestation in 25 yearsmeteorologists forecast widespread floodingcompromising national food security displacing millions of peoplemillions of workers unemployed army ushered Khan into office two years ago amid widespread electoral irregularitiesGDP nosedived from 5.8% (2017-18) to  -0.38% this monthaccording to Ministry of Financeinflation double digitscountry headed into chaosPakistan’s daily infection risen to 6,000 from 1,000 during June

actual number of cases in Pakistan 3-10 times higher 
lockdowns in worst-hit parts of 20 cities coronavirus first appeared in March

absolutely pathetic handling of Covid-19 

ballooning into grave crisis 

Khan lifted restrictions for Eid festival in May
Khan said up to public to take precautions
When public failed to do so, Khan said their own fault

people turned away from hospitals 
told to die on the pavements outside

horrendous scenario across Pakistan 
possible unprecedented civil unrest 
people already frustrated with inflation
jobs, incomes sharply shrinking economy
seriously destabilise Pakistan

parliament attacked Khan for mishandling pandemic
Baloch National Party pulled out of Khan's coalition
reducing (Khan's) majority to seven

Pakistan’s military openly active in domestic policy 
Khan “pretended” to run government, not making any decisions

My comments :  Recall when the Corona Virus started going around in March 2020 people were discussing what approach to take to keep the virus down.
1. Lockdowns
2. Mass screening / testing with lockdowns
3. targeted lockdowns
4. Social distancing
5. No lockdown but screening and social distancing
6. The do nothing option or "let it rip".

As one commenter in this blog said (at that time) Pakistan basically opted for the "let it rip" option. They did not do anything much. 

In the beginning the infection rates in Pakistan were relatively small. Or so we thought. The fact is that in Pakistan (and Iran) the numbers are notoriously unreliable.  They are either not reporting the true figures or were actively covering things up - as is happening in Iran. 

I think Saudi Arabia's numbers are also not accurate.

India and Indonesia suffer these same problem (inaccurate numbers) because the populations and the size of the countries are huge. 

So we have to be careful with allowing visitors from these countries. 
More importantly we should NOT be visiting these countries. 

Now in June 2020 the corona virus infections are going out of control in Pakistan. There are over 100,000 recorded cases. This is not correct. The SCMP article above says the real number could be anything up to 10 times more (1 million cases). 

(India has already exceeded 1 million cases and is expected to overtake the USA.)

But Pakistan has a slew of other problems, most of it being their own bungles.

For decades now Pakistan has earned billions of US Dollars in remittances by millions of Pakistanis who earned their living in the Gulf countries. 

With the collapse of the oil prices and the collapse of the Gulf economies hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of workers have returned home to unemployment and a bleak future in Pakistan.  Their billions of US Dollars in remittances has also dried up.  All this is having a very bad effect on Pakistan. There is a 'Perfect Storm' brewing over this country.


The PM Imran Khan is turning out to be quite the non-performer. Even without the Corona Virus the country's economy was shrinking and in serious trouble.

The Pakistani Army calls all the shots in the country including the day to day running of Pakistan. Imran Khan tries his best to appear to be in charge - but he is not. 

Pakistan's worst crisis is the reality that the Army calls all the shots in the country.
The civilian governments exist at the mercy of the Army.
It has long been said that Pakistan is an "Army with a country".
This sentence has to be corrected. 
Pakistan is a "Punjabi Army with a country".
This is their big problem.Posted by Syed Akbar Ali 

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