*Beijing, Apr 03:* A wary China on Sunday kept a close watch on the rapidpolitical developments in Pakistan – its all-weather ally – after theParliament in Islamabad was dissolved over Prime Minister Imran Khan’sallegation that there was American hand behind the Opposition partiesno-confidence motion against him.
While there is no official comment here yet, the state-run mediahighlighted Khan’s allegations of US hand behind the opposition noconfidence motion against him, which was cited as a reason by Qasim KhanSuri, deputy speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly, to reject theopposition’s no-confidence motion against the government.
State-run Xinhua reported the political drama unfolding in Islamabadleading to Pakistan President Arif Alvi approving Khan’s recommendation forthe dissolution of the Parliament. Xinhua report highlighted Khan’s remarksthat a foreign power hatched a conspiracy to remove his government througha no-confidence motion against him, and the deputy speaker of the lowerhouse rejected the motion because the nation cannot let such kind ofconspiracies succeed.
In the run-up to the tabling of the no-confidence motion by the opposition,China has appealed to all the political parties to close ranks in theinterest of stability and development.
“China always follows the principle of non-interference in other country’sinternal affairs,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said onMarch 31 when asked whether Beijing was concerned over Khan’s potentialdefeat in the Parliament and the impact of leadership change on theChina-Pakistan close ties.
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“As Pakistan’s all-weather strategic cooperative partner and friendlyneighbour, China sincerely hopes that all parties in Pakistan can maintainsolidarity and jointly uphold development and stability,” he said.
Observers here say that China may not be unduly concerned about the crisisas Beijing sees the Pakistan military as the cornerstone of its ‘ironclad”ties with Islamabad. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has not yet reacted toqueries on Chief Gen.
