Islamabad: Pakistan received positive signals from China and Saudi Arabia for crucial financial support at time when it is desperately looking towards its old allies in wake of current economic crunch.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari last weekend met his Saudi counterpart and Chinese foreign policy chief on sidelines of Munich Security Conference. Though no details were provided except that Bilawal discussed issues of mutual interests with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud and member of Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee and Director of Office of Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, diplomatic sources told.

FM @BBhuttoZardari met FM of KSA @FaisalbinFarhan on sidelines of #MSC2023.FM appreciated 🇸🇦’s consistent friendship & support for 🇵🇰. Reaffirming fraternal relations between 🇵🇰&🇸🇦,two FMs reiterated mutual commitment to further enhance & deepen bilateral coop. across all fields. pic.twitter.com/RsCBz5NYV0

— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) February 18, 2023

What I gathered from foreign minister engagements with his Saudi and Chinese counterparts was that both countries were keen to help Pakistan, said source privy to details.  Meetings in Munich would translate into something tangible for Pakistan. I cannot go into nitty-gritty but I can tell you that meetings went really well. Both Saudi and Chinese foreign ministers were very supportive, source claimed. Pakistan is now hoping that its friends would come to its rescue as it has done all hard yards to convince IMF.

 Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhutto hinted that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief Imran Khan may not have future in politics if he refuses to follow “Democratic path”.

In an interview with CNBC, he said “Pakistan has had history that is not hidden from anyone. We have had more than half time of our country’s history under direct military rule and various transitions in between at moment I believe Pakistan is in period of transition and absolutely it could go either way.”

FM @BBhuttoZardari met HE Wang Yi, Politburo Member & Dir. of Central Foreign Affairs Commission at #MSC, reaffirmed:

- 🇵🇰🇨🇳 All-Weather Strategic Coop. Partnership abiding pillar of reg. peace & stability
- CPEC to more benefits for 2 ppls + region
- Close coord on intl. issues pic.twitter.com/pSup1t2zcB

— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) February 18, 2023

 “It could mean success and strengthening of democratic forces or it could mean success and strengthening of unconstitutional undemocratic forces,” he added. Bilawal said that he deemed two events in past year as significant for Pakistan’s future: Imran’s ouster and former Army Chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa’s pledge of neutrality.

Vote of no confidence that took PTI Chief out of office, Bilwal described it as an “Institutional and democratic milestone”. “You might not like results of it vote of no confidence if you are from his party,” he said, “but in course of Pakistan’s history, that is fundamental achievement that military man has not come in and pulled out prime minister or court has not ordered for them to go. Democratic process has been followed.”

Secondly, he said that fact “Former Chief of Army Staff stood up and gave speech in his uniform where he accepted that in past military used to intervene in politics and that that is not good, neither for institution and nor for country and they would like to transition away from that” was noteworthy development.

He maintained that this “Public” admission by military that it wished to move from “Controversial role to constitutional role” should be encouraged by all those in country who support democracy.

However, he claimed that “Problem” Pakistan faces is that “Opposition is saying no, you (Army) need to have role, come back have role and help us get back into power”.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 21 2023

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