BATKHELA: Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has claimed that days of Imran Khan in government are numbered and soon he will be expelled through democratic course.

Addressing a public meeting in Dargai town of Malakand district on Wednesday, he said Imran Khan was now ‘former prime minster’ because the opposition would defeat him during a no-trust vote in parliament.

“We would remove Imran through democratic process and would not use any undemocratic way, nor will we attack any national institution,” he declared.

Calling Imran Khan ‘former’ prime minister, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said this time no selection would take place; he was so isolated that nobody was ready to shake hands with him. “The nation wants to get this man [Imran] ousted as soon as possible because people are the worst sufferers due to wrong policies of the government.”

PPP leader addresses Malakand rally despite ECP warning

The PPP leader said no-trust move was a test case for democracy, neutrality and the federation of Pakistan, adding that Imran Khan was destined for a defeat in the no-confidence vote.

He said the PTI leadership was unable to show power strength of 172 lawmakers in the National Assembly as a good number of PTI lawmakers had no trust in him and had joined hands with the opposition.

Rigging unacceptable

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said the opposition would not accept any kind of rigging in the upcoming no-trust vote against the prime minister, adding that the PPP wanted the constitutional process of no-trust vote be completed at the earliest. He said ouster of Imran Khan was vital for progress and restoration of economy because the incompetent government had plunged the country into turmoil.

The PPP chairman said Imran Khan was violating the Constitution by trapping the National Assembly speaker in Article 6. “Imran Khan calls opposition leaders ‘rats’ and is himself running away because he himself is a ‘rat and coward man’.”

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said that before teaching him Urdu Imran Khan should go and teach Urdu to his sons sitting abroad.

He said Imran Khan was cursing the opposition leaders which didn’t sound good coming from the prime minister of a country. “Niazi is calling JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman ‘diesel’, but he has forgotten that the prices of diesel which is out of reach of the common man. He calls Shehbaz Sharif ‘boot polisher’, but he himself is a boot polisher.”

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said the PTI government had sabotaged the CPEC project which was ‘game changer’ for progress and development of the country.

He said that after defeating Imran Khan, the upcoming general elections would be transparent and fair which would be acceptable to all. He alleged that Imran Khan wanted to convert all national institutions, including the judiciary and NAB, and media into his ‘Tiger Force’.

The PPP leader said the incumbent regime was a risk to the country, adding that Imran Khan was following the policies of Israel and India. He said India wanted to sabotage CPEC and the present rulers delayed and tried to make controversial the corridor project through anti-CPEC statements by his ministers.

Recounting the achievements of the previous PPP government, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said his party had abolished the FCR law, eliminated terrorism from Malakand division, provided Sui gas, created opportunities for women to earn livelihood, established the First Women Bank, renamed the province as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and declared Malakand a tax-free zone.

ECP warning

Mr Bhutto-Zardari addressed the public meeting despite the fact that he was issued a warning by the district monitoring officer (DMO) against doing so.

The Malakand DMO had advised the PPP chairman not to attend the planned rally. In an advisory issued to the PPP chairman, the DMO said it had come to his knowledge from social media that he would address a public meeting in Dargai tehsil of Malakand district on March 23.

“Keeping in view the code of conduct for local bodies elections, you are advised not to attend/participate in any congregation or to do any action that is against the code of conduct and directive issued by the ECP, failing which necessary action as per law will be initiated,” read the advisory.

The gathering was also addressed by PPP provincial president Najmuddin Khan, Humayun Khan, former MPA Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha and Ahmed Ali. A large number of PPP activists participate in the gathering.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2022