ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Pervez Khattak Thursday heavily criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan during the parliamentary party meeting before a key vote on the mini-budget, sources said.
At the outset of the meeting, the heated debate on the shortage of gas shortage in Pakistan especially in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province began.
Khattak first exchanged words with Energy Minister Hammad Azhar and walked out of the meeting in protest.
PM Imran Khan sent Ali Zaidi and Murad Saeed to bring Khattak back, but after coming back Khattak exchanged words with PM Imran Khan.
The defence minister said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province produces electricity and gas but was still facing a shortage.“It is us who got you elected as prime minister,” Khattak said to PM as reported by several media outlets.
Khattak said he and other leaders like him had to face voters and if the technocrats did not change their behaviour, people would not vote for the PTI.
He also criticised Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, telling him that he was not a representative elected by a popular vote. “We come through people’s vote and we are answerable to them.”
Speaking to journalists outside the meeting room, Khattak denied that he had an altercation with “anyone”. However, he did say that he demanded his rights.
“I only talked about my rights.”
Khattak said he left the meeting to smoke a cigarette.
