MANDI BAHAUDDIN: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday challenged the opposition leaders to move no confidence motion against him, saying that all of their designs would fall flat rather would take them to jail.
“We are ready for everything. Captain is ready to thwart all of your plans. You will again face defeat rather go to jail,” the prime minister said addressing a public gathering in Mandi Bahauddin that was packed with PTI supporters.
Referring to the opposition leaders, he said all of “thieves and dacoits” were in fact afraid of him and reiterated his stance of giving no NRO to them until they returned the looted public money.
He asked why was the Opposition in such a hurry to bring the no-confidence motion against him, as he took a jibe at Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif that he was worried about Maqsood chaprasi — who is accused of laundering the PML-N leader’s money.
Berating Shehbaz, the premier said that he had a “weak heart and knew he would not be able to escape if his case (of being a guarantor in Nawaz Sharif’s case) is heard”. “If Shehbaz is innocent, then why is he running away from courts?” the prime minister questioned.
PM Imran went on to say that when the opposition had filed a case against him in the Supreme Court, he had stayed in the country and had proved that he was sadiq and ameen (honest and righteous).
“I provided the documents the court asked for. I did not run away or ask for more dates. I told them to listen to the case day-to-day. So Shehbaz, why are you running?” he said, adding that the courts were free.
Turning his guns on PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, he said Nawaz’s daughter claims she has “tapes” on government officials. “Have you ever heard a politician blackmail others via tapes,” he asked.
PM Imran blamed PML-N for the “fake” audio tape that was made against former chief justice Saqib Nisar and said politicians do not indulge in such activities rather it was what the “mafias” do.
“Maryam bibi is threatening judges. She wants an early dismissal of the incumbent government,” he said, noting that he would keep fighting the corrupt elements “till my last breath”.
‘Inflation has increased’
Commenting on the increase in inflation, the prime minister said: “The opposition says that it has increased. There is no doubt it has increased.” However, he went on to say that the government was always working on how to lessen the burden of this inflation.
PM Imran also called on journalists to tell the people about the reason behind the hike in prices. “Supply lines were affected due to the pandemic. There was a shortage of commodities and they became more expensive,” he added.
He said that petrol that was previously available for $40 per barrel was now being sold for $90. “What can we do about this? We have to import petrol,” he added.
The prime minister said that the government had reduced duties and taxes on imports so that it could lessen the burden on the common man. He highlighted that inflation had increased across the globe, noting that it was at an all-time high in the United States for the first time in 40 years. He also gave the examples of Germany and Turkey.
“If you Google this on your mobile phones, you will see that I am speaking the truth,” he said, adding that the government was committed to lessening the burden on the people of the country.
In order to counter the Opposition’s efforts to bring a no-trust motion, the prime minister has kicked off his PR campaign today, with the first public rally being held in Mandi Bahauddin.
The ruling party had announced a mass contact campaign to mobilise the party at the grassroots level after the Opposition parties started contacting the PTI allies seeking support for the no-trust motion.
