PAK-MILITARY 2 LAST

Marvin Weinbaum of the Middle East Institute, said that Marvin Weinbaum of the Middle East Institute, said thatthe transfer of power in 2013 from the PPP to the PML-N was agame-changer, which greatly reduced the chances of an abruptgovernment change in Pakistan. "The transfer happened because the two parties did notmake the mistake of derailing democracy as Nawaz Sharif andBenazir Bhutto did in the 1990s," he said. "The transfer also happened because Nawaz Sharif waswilling to wait for the next election, which he did not in the90s." The experts agreed that despite some seriousinstitutional problems, Pakistan would continue (its journey)on the road to democracy. Raphel noted that democracy survived the dharna led byImran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s dharna, which causedechoes of coup, but ultimately, "those echoes subsided and thegovernment emerged stronger than before." Prime Minister Sharif is poised to select a successor toGen Raheel, 60, soon as the army chief is scheduled to retirein November this year. PTI AKJAKJ