After a week of unprecedented political drama on 10th April 2022, cricket-legend turned prime minister, Imran Khan was ousted out of power through a vote of no-confidence (VONC) in the National Assembly. As the newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assumes office leading a coalition of 13 political parties, he faces an ailing economy, political polarization, and regional challenges. Meanwhile, the former ruling party led by Imran Khan continues to resist these changes labeling his exit a foreign-conspiracy, arousing speculation. Thus, critical questions remain unanswered regarding the causes of the sudden change of power, and impact of these political developments on Pakistan’s foreign policy, China-Pakistan relations, and the future of CPEC- China Pakistan Economic Corridor. In this interactive session with Senator Mushahid Hussain, we will discuss the intricate interplay between Pakistan’s domestic politics, changes in Pakistan’s foreign policy- especially towards China, and the future of Chinese investments in Pakistan.
Moderator:
Zoon Ahmed, Research Fellow, Center for China and Globalization (CCG)
Keynote Speaker:
Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Chairman of Senate’s Defense Committee, Pakistan
Discussants:
Dr. WANG Wen, Executive Dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY)
Hassan Daud, Chairman KP-Board of Investment, Former Project Director CPEC
Dr. Zhao Hai, Research Fellow, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)
