Imran openly declares
US behind conspiracy,
denies establishment
suggested him any option

0
34

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was avoiding to name the United States as conspirator to plot against his government, on Saturday held openly the United States responsible for the ‘foreign conspiracy’ to overthrow his government.

“Ok I’m taking the name of US. The conspiracy has been hatched with the help of America to remove me,” PM Imran said while addressing the participants of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary party in Islamabad ahead of a crucial no-confidence vote in the National Assembly on Sunday.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan addresses to parliamentary party leaders in Islamabad on Saturday.

The premier said people are seeing the conspiracy and its characters and alleged that US wants to see its “slaves” in power in Pakistan. Reiterating his resolve to fight till the last ball, PM Imran Khan said he will not leave the ground for the corrupt and will fight in the National Assembly. No-confidence motion against him will fail, he added.

Imran Khan suggested on Saturday that he might not accept a vote to oust him, a move he alleged was being orchestrated by the United States. “How can I accept the result when the entire process is discredited?” Khan told a select group of foreign journalists at his office. “Democracy functions on moral authority — what moral authority is left after this connivance?”

“The move to oust me is blatant interference in domestic politics by the United States,” he said, terming it an attempt at “regime change”. The US embassy in Islamabad did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Comments on the turncoats

Commenting on the turncoats, he vowed not to shake hands with them in future. He termed the party MNAs standing beside him heroes and said he will not forget those who stood by him in the difficult times.

He also said it is good that the establishment has kept itself neutral in the present political situation. But in an interview to a social media on Saturday, Imran Khan refused that he did not say that the establishment has suggested three options to deal the existing political situation.

Lauding the landmark victory in the second phase of local body polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PM Khan said that PTI has swept the seats and PML-N and PPP have been overthrown from the scene.

“I am observing your gestures and it seems that you are here to give me a farewell like this is our last dinner,” the prime minister said passing a quipping remark. “Don’t worry until the last bowl is bowled, your captain might pull off something unusual.”

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan addresses to parliamentary party leaders in Islamabad on Saturday.

Provoke youth to protest

Imran Khan urged the country’s youth to stage “peaceful protests” against a “foreign conspiracy” allegedly hatched against his government and said that he has “more than one plan” for tomorrow’s crucial vote on the no-confidence motion against him in the National Assembly.

“Before taking your telephone calls, I want to talk to the people of my country for five minutes because right now Pakistan is standing on a decisive point,” the prime minister said in his opening remarks. “This is a war for the future of the

country.

“There are two routes we can take. Do we want to take the way of destruction or a path of pride? There will be difficulties in this path but this is the path of our Prophet PBUH. This path is for our good. This path brought a revolution in the country.”

The prime minister then discussed the political crisis in the country: “The politics of Pakistan has reached a point today where the nation has to decide where you want to take the country today. A society that stands with honesty and justice takes a new life. But when a society becomes neutral, it begins supporting the bad.

“There’s a conspiracy against the government right now and it has been proven that politicians are being bought like goats to topple the government. The conspiracy started abroad and here Mir Sadiqs are helping these people abroad.

“The history never forgets those. And I want Pakistan’s history to not forget these traitors either. It is your responsibility. Don’t let them feel that you have forgotten.”

The prime minister said he will take legal action against those who “betrayed the nation”. “I met my lawyers today and we have a plan. We wont let them go free. All of them will be punished. We will decide by tonight the kind of legal action we want to take against them.”

The prime minister claimed that the “foreign conspiracy” against him has been proven. “The cabinet, NSC and the parliament’s security committee have seen it. The official document says that if you remove Imran Khan, your relations with the US will get better.”

Addressing the youth of the country, PM Imran said: “You don’t have to sit silently [because] if you stay quiet, you will be on the side of the bad. I want you to protest and speak up against this conspiracy —not for me but for your future.

“In the UK, when they used weapons of mass destruction illegally and attacked Iraq, two million people protested. it wasn’t violent. Not a single pot was broken. I walked with them. No political party urged them. They did it themselves. This is the sign of a nation that is alive. “I want you to come out and protest today and tomorrow. Come out for peaceful protests.”

Don’t criticise Army

Imran Khan said; ‘I want you to not criticise the army’. When asked what he would say to those criticising the Army, the prime minister said: “Please remember that there are two things that have kept the country united today. First is the army of Pakistan. It’s a strong and professional army. It is important for the country because a lot of countries are trying to harm Pakistan.

“Second is the PTI because it’s a party that has kept the country connected. Initially, it was the PPP but right now the PTI is the party that represents the country and is considered a national party. These people are trying to weaken the party. “We need this army. It has sacrificed for us. I want you to not criticise the army.”

When asked by a caller to comment on the “fake news” of him not getting along with the army, he said: “I want to tell you something about the army. Whoever attacks the army, they aren’t hurting the army but [are hurting] Pakistan.

“This country needs a strong army because [look at what’s happening in] the Muslim world. What happened in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan? We are safe because we have a strong army. We shouldn’t do anything that harms the army. “I have no differences with the army. They took a decision and we respect it. The army decided to stay neutral and we respect it.”

The prime minister claimed that the political crisis created against him was a result of him wanting to devise an independent foreign policy for the Pakistan, which he said was previously attempted only once.

“Except under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, our country has never had an independent foreign policy. And then too, Mir Jaffers such as Fazlur Rehman and Nawaz Sharif had got him killed by conspiring with the foreign powers.”

Despite the opposition seemingly having accumulated enough MNAs to topple his government, PM Imran remained buoyant, saying: “Don’t worry at all. A captain always has a plan, and this time I have more than one plan… god willing we will win tomorrow. I will defeat them in the Assembly.

“The nation will see tomorrow … if they cast the vote tomorrow, they know they will be rejected by the public. You will see that we will win tomorrow.”

PTI changes strategy

A day before voting on the no-confidence motion, the ruling PTI has changed its strategy and directed its lawmakers to attend the crucial session and participate in the voting process, well-placed sources told Geo News on Saturday.

Earlier on March 30, PM Imran Khan had “strictly” directed PTI’s members of the National Assembly (MNAs) to either abstain from voting or not attend the session when the no-confidence motion against him is tabled in the House.

PM Imran Khan is committed to defeat the no-confidence motion against him, the sources said, adding that the premier has decided to fight till the last ball. He himself will attend the crucial session of the Lower House tomorrow (April 3), said the well-placed sources.

Earlier, in a letter to the PTI MNAs, the prime minister, who is the party’s chairman, had said: “All the members of the [PTI] in the National Assembly shall abstain from voting/not attend the meeting of the National Assembly on the date when the said resolution is set out on the agenda.”

PM Imran Khan had told the MNAs that no PTI member should attend or make themselves available on the time and day of the voting on the resolution of no-confidence. The prime minister had said that all members are “required to adhere to his directions in true letter and spirit” and should keep in mind the “intention behind the provision of Article 63(A) of the Constitution of Pakistan.”

The premier had warned the party lawmakers that “every or any” violation of the directions would be treated as an “express defection” in terms of Article 63(A). The letter had also mentioned that designated PTI members would speak during the debate on the no-confidence motion.