Ex-Pakistan PM warns of ‘military takeover’ amid economic, political turmoil

Former Pakistan PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said military had taken over Pakistan in ‘much less severe circumstances’ and that the current condition is severe.

Former Pakistan Prime Minster Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has warned about a possible military takeover if the ongoing political and economic crises in the country tend to continue. Referring to the country's history of ‘long periods of martial law’, Abbasi said military had taken over Pakistan in ‘much less severe circumstances’ and that the current condition is severe.

Pakistan's army soldiers. (AFP)

"Martial law always remained a possibility if the system failed or when there was a conflict between institutions and the political leadership was unable to chart a way forward," the senior leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party was quoted as saying by The Dawn. However, he hoped that no extra-constitutional measure was considered as option, adding that an army takeover would only make things worse.

He said that a political dispensation is the only way forward and urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and chief of army staff general Asim Munir to initiate a dialogue. He further pointed out that army's arbitrary role in resolving the political impasse is an ‘extraordinary solution’. “In most democracies, and even in Pakistan, elections did always provide the solution but unfortunately this time they won’t,” he told the Pakistan daily.

Relations between the ruling coalition and the country's Supreme Court have soured since the PML-N government pushing for a bill that would dilute powers of the chief justice of Pakistan.