Army calling the shots: Pakistan is the same even under Imran Khan, suggests VK Singh

Former Army chief and Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh on Monday suggested that things won’t change in Pakistan. Talking about the issue of increasing infiltration despite a government change in the neighbouring country, the minister said that Pakistani Army was still calling the shots.

Claiming that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was propped up by the country’s military, Singh said, “Did you all expect a change? If a person is propped up by the military, army still rules. Army is still calling the shots.”

He, however, added that the need was to wait and watch if Imran Khan remains under army’s control or moves beyond it. “Let's wait and watch how things move, whether a person remains under army's control or doesn't,” Singh said.

This comes less than a month after the Indian Army killed three terrorists as they foiled a major infiltration bid in Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir.

Notably, after assuming power, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan reached out to India, saying India and Pakistan must talk to resolve issues like Kashmir.

Taking to microblogging site Twitter, the newly-elected Pakistan Prime Minister had said, “To move forward Pakistan and India must dialogue and resolve their conflicts incl Kashmir: The best way to alleviate poverty and uplift the people of the subcontinent is to resolve our differences through dialogue and start trading.”

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had also said that Pakistan was not shying away from engaging with New Delhi, adding that it takes "two to tango".

He had said, "But it takes two to tango. You cannot clap with just one hand. We have a positive stance and will remain hopeful...current position of the ties between Pakistan and India was not a secret as peace talks are suspended, but we have to see how we can move forward."