Pakistan political crisis | What does China prefer: Imran Khan govt or Pakistan Army rule?

China, Pakistan’s all-weather ally on Thursday reacted guardedly to the potential defeat of Prime Minister Imran Khan's government in Parliament, urging all political parties in the country to stay united in the interest of stability and development.

“China is committed to non-interference policy,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here while replying to a question about whether Beijing is concerned that any change of leadership in Pakistan could impact its close strategic ties with Pakistan.

“As an all-weather strategic cooperative partner, friendly neighbour of Pakistan, China sincerely hopes that all parties in Pakistan will stay united and uphold the major interest of development and stability,” Wang Wenbin added.

Pakistan's embattled Prime Minister Khan on Wednesday effectively lost majority in Parliament after Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), a key partner of the ruling coalition, joined the ranks of the Opposition, which had tabled a no-confidence motion against his government in the National Assembly.

Khan has been claiming that the Opposition’s no-confidence motion against him was the result of a “foreign conspiracy” because of his external policy and funds were being channelled from abroad to oust him from power.

As political crisis gripped Pakistan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told visiting Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a close confidant of Prime Minister Khan that Beijing has agreed to rollover USD 4.2 billion Pakistan debt due to be paid this week.

Qureshi is currently visiting China to attend the Neighbourhood Countries Foreign Ministers conference on Afghanistan.

"I am immensely happy to share that the Chinese FM has given a nod of approval on the rollover of commercial loan as well," Qureshi was quoted as saying by Pakistan daily Dawn.

The USD 4.2 billion debt, which was maturing this week, has been rolled over providing major financial relief to Pakistan, the daily reported.

Observers here say that China may not be unduly concerned about the fall of Imran Khan’s government as Beijing sees the Pakistan military as the cornerstone of its ‘ironclad” ties with Islamabad.

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Also Beijing initially viewed Prime Minister Khan with reservations as he had criticised the USD 60 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor in the run up to elections.

The current political crisis leading up to Khan losing majority support in the Parliament erupted just after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit on March 21.

Besides holding talks with Khan during his Pakistan visit, Wang had travelled to Rawalpindi the headquarters of the Pakistan Army where he held lengthy talks with its chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa during which he praised the Pakistan military’s role in nurturing close ties.