Since 2019, every day in #Pakistan sees new red lines crossed in military-bashing. The latest involves ridicule of top spy chief amid rising impression of state-media open clash. No one expected this to happen in PM #ImranKhan Govt, which started as friendliest to media+military.
This military-bashing, and dragging the top spy chief through the mud, is probably damaging for #Pakistan's military (both criticism & trolls-led defense). #PTIGovernment is distancing itself from this mess (Hint: see last grab here).
This military-bashing and dragging of spy chief's name through the mud in the most personal way possible is a serious matter, underlined by this rare official public comment by #ISI on the controversy, and the pushback through trolls & allies.

Rising military-bashing, attempts to make DG ISI controversial, point to a possible breakdown in the political system. The Govt is absent, focused on shoring its sagging reputation through empty foreign-policy populism & domestic populism.

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Ahmed Quraishi

Ahmed Quraishi Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @_AhmedQuraishi

31 May
In his telephone interactions with the public, PM #ImranKhan of #Pakistan rejected normalization of ties with #India until India restores the position in #Kashmir to pre 5 Aug 2019.

Good claptrap but Kashmiri people deserve more serious discussion than this. /1
As the self-declared 'Ambassador of #Kashmir', PM #ImranKhan has done little in two years to galvanize international diplomacy and public opinion on this conflict, and failed to exploit multiple leverages on #India that changing intl media and political landscape presented. /2
Judging by the sudden Pakistani diplomacy on #Gaza (in which #Pakistan in effect has no role), the Govt's #Kashmir diplomacy is virtually dead. International media gets credit for highlighting K situation. Pak state+private media is tedious/repetitious. Pak narrative invisible./3
Read 4 tweets
28 May
The breakdown in #Syria's presidential election:

Bashar 51%
Al Assad 49%

President #BasharAlAssad is in power for 21 years now. It will be 26 years if he completes the new term.
I still remember when he took oath in Parliament in #Damascus after his father's death in 2000. I was watching the ceremony on TV w/ a close Syrian friend, ex-army, served in Syrian military in #Lebanon. I was flabbergasted after his first live speech:
The new Syrian president spoke in perfect, incisive, articulate Arabic, without pauses. No teleprompter. Impeccable expression. He was the youngest Arab leader then (along Abdullah II of Jordan), a breath of fresh air (before Tamim, MBS, MBZ, Hariri, & Haitham).
Read 9 tweets
3 May
ہمارے میڈیا کی مشرق وسطی میں کوئی بیورو آفیسز ہیں نہیں، اور نہ پہلے کی طرح tentacles ہیں۔ گزشتہ آٹھ سالوں میں خطے کے حکام اور دانشور، ایران ترکی خازاخستان آذربائیجان عمان امارات سعودیہ عراق اردن مصر مراکش، سب میں اعتدال پسندی اور دنیا کے ساتھ اور خصوصا مغرب کے ساتھ مل کر چلنے /1
چلنے پر زور دیا جا رہا ہے اور اسی پر کام ہو رہا ہے۔ ہمارے ہاں الٹا حساب ہے۔ بتایا جاتا ہے کہ نیا اسلامی بلاک بنانے جا رہے ہیں اور چین ایران روس کے ساتھ مل کر امریکہ کو شکست دینے جا رہے ہیں۔ حالانکہ آدھی ایرانی کابینہ امریکی یونیورسٹیوں کی پڑھی لکھی ہے اور آج کل تو وہ ملا بھی /2
ہم سے زیادہ اعتدال پسند نظر آتے ہیں جب سے ایران نے ہماری فرانس کے خلاف مشترکہ محاذ بنانے کی پیشکش پیار سے رد کی ہے۔ وزیر اعظم پر آج کچھ اراکین یورپین پارلیمنٹ انتہا پسندی پھیلانے کا الزام لگا رہے ہیں، لیکن لبنان مصر دبی کے عربی اخبارات میں یہ بات گزشتہ سال سے ہو رہی ہے /3
Read 4 tweets
30 Apr
یورپ فتح کرنے کی تیاری. متحدہ عرب امارات میں پچاس سالوں میں پہلی مرتبہ پاکستانیوں کے ویزے بند. سعودیہ سے تعلقات خراب. عرب-اسرائیل تعلقات کے خطے میں ہم خود ساختہ سب سے بڑے دشمن. فرانس اور برطانیہ سے تلخی. امریکہ خاتمے کیلئے یوٹیوبرز کی مدد سے 'چین ایران روس' خیالی بلاک کی تیاری.
اسلاموفوبیا رہ گیا. عرض ہے کہ ایران اور ترکی نے بھی وزیر خارجہ کے دورے میں ہمارا فرانس/مغرب کے خلاف منصوبہ کی کھل کر حمایت کرنے سے گریز کیا. صدر اردگان اور فرانس صدر کی دوستی ہو گئی ہے.
'اسلاموفوبیا ٹی وی' کی تجویز کو مالیزیا+ترکی نے کبھی پلٹ کر نہیں دیکھا
کشمیر اور بھارت پانچ اگست 2020 سے غائب. جو کام ہوا وہ ریاست کے کچھ اداروں نے نبھایا. کشمیر کے سفیر کو دنیا نے کہیں نہیں دیکھا. اور 70 سال میں بھارت کو پہلی بار دنیا میں بیک فٹ ہونے کا موقع بغیر اچھی سفارتکاری کے تقریباً گنوا دیا گیا. تاریخی موقع تھا، لیکن مافیا زیادہ اہم تھا.
Read 5 tweets
29 Apr
The situation in #Pakistan. A quick update.

PM #ImranKhan's government is shaken by inflation and shortages, some out of its control but compounded by poor planning & governance. Here, long queues can be seen in some cities for govt-rationed sugar & flour in #Ramadan.
#Pakistan is currently divided between urgent issues and sideshows. Government is finally expediting vaccinations; the professionals at @OfficialNcoc are at it. But Govt also continues to push PM #ImranKhan's agenda against #France, #West on #Islamophobia.
One of the biggest sideshows in #Pakistan today is the explosive interview of a former spy chief who has blown the lid off alleged abuse of spy services by PM #ImranKhan to target his political opponents. Check this trend: #BashirMemonLeaks.

Read 4 tweets
26 Apr
Reports on #Iran-#SaudiArabia intelligence contact in #Iraq.

#Zarif leaves #Qatar. #Saudi FM lands in #Doha, invites Emir Sheikh Tamim to meet the King in #Riyadh.

#Tehran (& the #US?) appears to try to take the #Gulf on board.

This could isolate #Israel in a revived #JCPOA.
Some in #Vienna appear to want to isolate #Israel. But officials in #Gulf/#GCC face a difficult choice. They have to weigh if a compromise on #JCPOA and weakening Israel's position will resolve the problem of #Iran's malign activities? Or will it be a temporary solution?
The #US is directly engaging #GCC on #JCPOA, while FM #Zarif engages #SaudiArabia through #Qatar and #Iraq.

If the #Gulf comes aboard, #Israel and #Republicans will be effectively sidelined.

Read 7 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!

:(