• Former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi warns of 'military takeover' amid crisis in country

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    Former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi warns of 'military takeover' amid crisis in country

    "In fact, I believe Pakistan has never experienced a [more] severe economic and political situation." "The military has taken over in much less severe circumstances," he was reported as saying by the Dawn daily. Pakistan had been directly ruled for about half of its history by military generals.


     

    color:black;mso-themecolor:text1">Digital Desk: Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
    emphasized the country's ongoing crisis on Sunday, claiming that economic and
    political turmoil is so severe that it could lead to a military takeover.
    Abbasi also asked the stakeholders to start a discourse in order to find
    solutions.



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    none windowtext 0in;padding:0in;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Martial law always
    remained a possibility in Pak
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    Abbasi, a senior member of the ruling
    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), was Pakistan's 21st Prime Minister from
    August 2017 until May 2018. He stated on a televised interview that martial law
    was always a possibility if the system collapsed or if there was a dispute
    between institutions and the political leadership was unable to plan a course
    forward. "Pakistan has had many long periods of martial law in very
    similar situations," remarked the 64-year-old commander.



    color:#010101">"In fact, I believe Pakistan has never experienced a [more]
    severe economic and political situation." "The military has taken
    over in much less severe circumstances," he was reported as saying by the
    Dawn daily. Pakistan had been directly ruled for about half of its history by
    military generals.



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    color:#010101;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0in;
    padding:0in">Abbasi warned of anarchy 
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    The
    Pakistan Army, which has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its
    75-year history, has traditionally exercised tremendous clout in security and
    foreign policy concerns. If frictions among society and institutions got too
    intense, Abbasi warned of anarchy, adding that the mighty Army might be called
    in.



    "It has happened in a number of
    countries." "When the political and constitutional system fails,
    extra-constitutional (measures) are taken," he was quoted as saying in the
    paper. The PML-N leader, on the other hand, hoped that the military was not
    considering instituting martial law. "I don't think they're thinking about
    it, but when they're forced to," he says, "the old famous speeches
    of'mere aziz hamwatano' (a phrase synonymous with military takeovers) are
    heard."



    The country is now dealing with significant
    external debt.



    The Pakistan Army has frequently stated
    that it will keep out of politics, despite the poor relations between former
    Prime Minister Imran Khan and the military before to his resignation last year.
    Pakistan is currently dealing with massive external debt, a depreciating native
    currency, and increasing inflation.



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