US-led West seeks to topple PTI govt?

ISLAMABAD: In a startling revelation, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that foreign powers – through use of money and local politicians – are making attempts to topple his government like they did with former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

In his nearly two hours long hard-hitting address to a mammoth crowd of hundreds of thousands of people who gathered in the capital on his call in wake of the no-confidence motion moved against him by the joint opposition, the prime minister said that efforts are being made from abroad to influence his government’s independent foreign policy.

The prime minister who has a reputation of delivering extempore speeches but before mentioning the “threats” to his government, he read out a written speech.

“I seldom write my speeches but I wrote this speech today so that I don’t get emotional and say anything which can affect our foreign policy,” he said while claiming that foreign powers were behind the conspiracy of changing government in Pakistan.

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The PM said while taking out a piece of paper from the pocket of his black waistcoat, claiming it an evidence, said: “We got to know about it [foreign conspiracy] a few months back…if anyone has any doubt, I can show the letter to him but it would be off the record,” the PM said.

“We know from where attempts are being made to pressure us…we’ve been threatened in writing but we will not compromise on national interest no matter what,” he declared.

In the same breath, he continued that desperate efforts are being made to topple his government, as “mega amount of money is being pumped in from abroad and our people are being used”.

“Our people are being used in dirty trade as some of them are involved in it unintentionally while others have jumped into it quite intentionally,” he said without naming anyone.

However, he did say that he would name them any time in future as he had no fear in doing so, adding “that’s enough for now”.

In an obvious reference to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, he said: “We’ve a very clear idea who “this chubby faced” fellow has been meeting while sitting in London”.

“Who he [Nawaz Sharif] meets in London and whose dictation the characters in Pakistan are following…I cannot talk more in detail because I have to protect the interest of my country. I cannot talk about anything that harms my country,” he added.

He said that the government is well aware that who has brought the opposition together like they did to overthrow Zulfikar Ali Bhutto government, adding the time has changed as this is the era of social media, and things cannot remain hidden any longer.

He reiterated that his government is ready to befriend with everyone but would not accept any dictation. “This is the reason I’d invited you here. It is high time to decide for how long we’ll have to live like this. We are getting threats. There are many things about foreign conspiracy which I’ll reveal soon,” he maintained.

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Our country received threats due to the acts of previous leaders as the governments in Pakistan had been changed with the help of locals, he said, adding when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto tried to make independent foreign policy, parties of Fazlur Rehman and ‘absconder’ Nawaz Sharif launched a movement against him and later Bhutto was executed.

He came down hard at PPP leadership, saying that the grandson of Bhutto, Bilawal and his son-in-law Asif Zardari have formed alliance with elements who were involved in the execution of Bhutto. “The killers and victims have joined hands for the sake of power,” he lamented in a highly aggressive tone.

The prime minister elaborated on host of initiative which his government took during a short span of three years to remarkably boost the socioeconomic condition of the country.

The prime minister reiterated that he would not give any National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) to corrupt opposition leaders even if it costs him his government and his life.

Taking a jibe at the opposition leaders – Nawaz Sharif, Asif Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman – PM Khan said: “These ‘three stooges’ are looting the country for years and all this drama is being done to have Imran Khan surrender like Musharraf.”

“They are trying to blackmail the government. General Musharraf tried to save his government and gave these thieves NRO and it resulted in the destruction of Pakistan,” he said, adding: “Come what may, I will not forgive them even if my government goes or even if I lose my life.”

At the end, he expressed optimism that not only “our own dissident MNAs but lawmakers belonging to PPP and PML-N will not support the no-confidence motion against him “if their consciences are pricked by the conspiracy”.

Reports suggested hundreds of thousands of supporters could not make it to the rally site due to massive rush and road blockades at national highways and other roads.

The Expressway from Faizabad to Zero point was full of vehicles, as well as, crowd who came to the city from different parts of the country.

The prime minister repeatedly asked the participants if they could her him, to which scores of his supporters said they could not him out.

Upon this, the prime minister said that the gathering is far bigger than they expected, adding he was grateful that nation made it to Islamabad on his call which the nation was “alive and aware”.

Senior leadership of the party including Shah Mehmood, Pervez Khattak, Imran Ismail, Asad Umar and others also addressed the gathering.

Dr Fehmida Mirza of Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), which is an ally of ruling government, also attended the jalsa.

The PTI caravans from all the four provinces, Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, and Chitral reached the gathering included buses, wagons, and cars adorned with posters of Prime Minister Imran Khan highlighting the theme of the gathering – Amar bil Maroof.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022