Talking to reporters outside Parliament House, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed opposition leader in Senate Raja Nasir Abbas accused the ruling establishment of having orchestrated Imran Khan’s ouster at the behest of the US, describing it as a political miscalculation that had plunged the country into deeper political and security turmoil.

According to Business Recorder, Abbas criticized the displacement of what he described as a democratically elected government with a two-thirds majority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), alleging that the province had been handed over to "tested and rejected mafias." He said the political forces now entrusted with restoring peace in the province had themselves contributed to weakening the system, questioning how they could be expected to deliver a different outcome.

Background

Abbas accused the ruling establishment of using state power to suppress political opposition, saying Pakistan had its own "little Trumps." He alleged that the PTI government had been removed because of fear of Khan, who had since emerged as a major political challenge for those behind his ouster. Citing the alleged abductions of political opponents and imprisonment of women, Abbas said the treatment of PTI leaders and supporters reflected the excesses of the crackdown against the party. He argued that the decision to remove Khan had not resolved the situation.

Why it matters

The statements highlight ongoing political tensions between the ruling establishment and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, focusing on governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and allegations regarding the treatment of political opponents.