The Jewish Home | APRIL 7, 2022
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The Week In News
Election Turmoil in Pakistan
Last week, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan called for early elections after he dissolved parliament. For now, the South Asian country is awaiting a key court ruling that will decide whether the early elections can proceed. Khan called the election in attempt to cling to power after the deputy speaker of parliament blocked a no-confidence motion against him last Sunday that had appeared almost certain to succeed.
The opposition, which had called for Khan’s removal for months, is accusing Khan of treason and asking the country’s highest court to rule on whether he had breached the constitution. The court battle is the latest escalation in a crisis that has been smoldering for weeks, with Khan already having lost the backing of key political allies and the country’s powerful military. Khan’s main hope now appears to be that his enduring popular appeal with voters – fueled by his stellar former cricket career, his unique brand of Islamic populism, and his claims of foreign interference in Pakistan’s affairs – can keep him in the driver’s seat. Pakistan, a nation of 220 million, is notoriously hard to govern. It has struggled with political instability since its formation in 1947 with multiple regime changes and military coups. No prime minister has ever completed a full fiveyear term. Khan’s problems date back to 2018, when he rose to power in an election mired in accusations of vote-rigging and foul play. More recently, he has been dogged by claims of economic mismanagement. The cost of basic necessities such as food and fuel are skyrocketing,
with inflation in the double digits, and the government’s foreign exchange reserves are fast depleting. Khan has lost the military’s support, primarily due to his anti-American rhetoric. He also recently refused to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, even meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow the day Russia began its war.
Jordan: Crown Prince Gives Up Title
Jordan’s Prince Hamzah, half-brother of the country’s King Abdullah II, relinquished his royal title earlier this week. Posting on Twitter, Prince Hamzah
wrote on Sunday that he was relinquishing his title due to the fact that his values “are not in line with the approaches, trends, and modern methods of our institutions.” Hamzah is King Abdullah II’s half-brother from their father, King Hussein. The Royal Court did not immediately comment on Hamzah’s announcement. Last year, Hazmah was placed under house arrest for what was claimed to be his involvement in a plot to destabilize Jordan. Hamzah, for his part, denied the allegations and claimed he was being punished for speaking out against corruption. Hamzah was named crown prince of Jordan in 1999 and was a favorite of King Hussein, who often described him in public as the “delight of my eye.” However, Hamzah was seen as too young and inexperienced to be named successor at the time of King Hussein’s death. Instead, his older half-brother, Abdullah, ascended the throne and stripped Hamzah of the title of crown prince in 2004. The move was seen as a blow to Queen Noor, who had hoped to see her eldest son become king.
