PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday rejected Prime Minister Imran Khan’s allegations that the opposition was part of a “foreign conspiracy” to topple his government through a no-confidence motion.
Addressing the media in Islamabad, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly said PM Imran was not ready to accept his defeat and involved in a “conspiracy” to divide the nation.
“Opposition will bury Imran Khan’s un-democratic thinking according to the constitutional means… he will be held responsible for hurling threats [at opposition leaders after voting on no-trust motion],” he remarked.
Shehbaz said PM Imran was taking a path that is against the Constitution and law of the country.
“If we want to live like a free nation, we have to break the begging bowl… I have always maintained that if there is no self-reliance then there will be no freedom,” he added.
He said that PM Imran was provoking his supporters against opposition leaders and added that all lawmakers have the right to vote.
The PML-N president also clarified that his remarks that “beggars cannot be choosers” were wrongly linked to the United States.
“I have said this many times before… the independence of the nation is meaningless if it is not economically self-sufficient,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said the joint opposition will “imprison Bani Gala’s devil” tomorrow by voting him out of office, taking a snipe at PM Khan after the Ramazan moon was sighted in Pakistan.
In a press conference alongside PPP leaders on Saturday, Bilawal said the opposition would start its bid to resolve the problems of the people after it gets rid of the prime minister following the voting on the no-confidence motion against the premier.
“He is a person who has lost and now will try to cause unrest outside the parliament […] this is a serious issue as the parliament represents the people,” the PPP chairman said after PM Khan called on the youth to protest for two days.
The Islamabad district administration has imposed section-144 in the Red Zone, banning rallies and gatherings in the area. The administration said anyone found in violation of the restrictions would face action.
The PPP chairman, referring to PM Khan’s call for “peaceful protests”, said the prime minister should neither interfere nor opt for illegal tactics to stay in power.
Bilawal called on the prime minister to step down voluntarily and show sportsmanship.
The PPP chairman said lawmakers from the treasury benches approached opposition leaders and begged them to take back the no-confidence motion against the premier.
“Our response to them was: absolutely not,” he said.
Bilawal also said he would ask Shahbaz Sharif — once he becomes the new premier — to not launch a political vendetta against the prime minister.
