| Imran Khan calls Shehbaz, Zardari dacoits, Maulana fazl ‘diesel’
| Says he will take ‘three wickets with one ball’
TIMERGARA/ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Imran Khan once again on Friday lashed out at the leaders of opposition parties and said that he would successfully defeat the no-trust motion moved against him by the opposition. The premier also went on to say that he would bring three wickets down with an in-swinging yorker.
“Insha Allah, your captain will win this match of no-trust motion in the Parliament”, Imran Khan said while addressing public gathering at Blambat Ground in Timergara, the district headquarter of Lower Dir.
Referring to the opposition’s no-confidence motion, the prime minister said he had been wishing for such a move by them, who had been talking to dislodge his government by hurling threats of sit-ins or long marches.
“Insha Allah everything will stand transparent. No-trust motion has provided me an opportunity to take three wickets with one ball,” he maintained.
On this occasion, the prime minister also announced to hold rally of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at D-Chowk, Islamabad, on a day before voting on the no-trust motion in the National Assembly. “A day before the no-trust move [in National Assembly] Insha Allah there will be a sea of people at D-Choke,” he said.
Prime Minister Imran Khan also claimed that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa had asked him not to call JUI-F’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman “diesel”. He said that he told Gen Bajwa that he is not calling Fazl “diesel” but it was the public that has given the PDM chief this name.
“I want to convey this message that when a person bows down in front of somebody, they lose their self-respect; and when a nation bows down in front of somebody nobody respects the country and its passport,” the premier said.
The prime minister described Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman - the leaders PML-N, PPP and JUI-F – as a “bouquet of thieves” and today they were at his aim. Prime Minister Imran Khan referred to the statement of Maulana Fazlur Rehman made at a press conference about the country’s important institutions, and maintained that Pakistan was today secure due to a strong army.
He cited the examples of destruction – due to wars - in Islamic countries including Iraq, Syria, Libya and Afghanistan and said that countries without the strong defence were not secure.
The prime minister then referred to some past incidents like attacks against courts, attempts to buy judges to secure favorable verdicts, influencing journalists and remarked that the people, who had damaged institutions in the past, were talking now about improving the institutions.
He said that Nawaz Sharif, who was now sitting abroad and went to speak lies about his health, started the politics of “Changa Manga” and buying the loyalties of the members of parliament.
The prime minister said that Nawaz Sharif, who once tried to bribe a former army chief by offering a BMW, also held a secret meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kathmandu. Similarly, Imran Khan said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman during a meeting with US Ambassador said if he was given opportunity he would better serve them.
Imran Khan said the PML-N, PPP and JUI-F, which ruled Pakistan for 30 to 35 years, brought disrespect for the green passport due to their bad governance, besides burdening the country with huge debt.
He said the civilians, including children, women and elderly people in the country, had lost their lives due to 400 drone attacks during the period from 2008 to 2018, but neither Asif Ali Zardari nor the PML-N leaders dared to condemn those attacks and tell the world that the same were contrary to international law.
He said it was the PTI which staged protests against the drone attacks. “How the leaders who have their billions of rupees assets abroad, can condemn such attacks?” Imran Khan remarked.
Similarly, the prime minister said, during the government of Nawaz Sharif, Narendra Modi made accusations of terrorism against the Pakistan Army, but he (Nawaz Sharif) instead of taking up the issue with his Indian counterpart asked the Foreign Office Spokesman not to issue any anti-India statement.
He said when the heads of government in a country had their assets or money abroad, it could not a follow an independent foreign policy.
The prime minister questioned that the people like Asif Ali Zardari, who sought the help of US in protecting him from the country’s army through a letter – a reference to the Memogate scandal –, Shehbaz Sharif, who by speaking English and wearing a suit and tie also solicited the help of West for getting an opportunity to serve, or Fazlur Rehman would be bringing in improvement in the institutions.
“It is my message for the bouquet of thieves, forget to see such dreams,” he remarked.
The prime minister referred to a video clip of the meeting between Nawaz Sharif and US President Barrack Obama – also available on social media, and said he (Nawaz Sharif) with pre-written notes in his hands was looking confused.
Imran Khan also mentioned the recent PPP long march led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and remarked that at the conclusion of the rally of people hired from Sindh, the only message of Bilawal was “Kanpain Tang Rahi Hain”. “Such things happen when you make someone a leader by force,” he further remarked.
The prime minister said his government, in line with the PTI’s manifesto, was striving to make the country a welfare state on the patterns of Riasat-e-Madina established by Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). In that respect he also mentioned his government’s welfare-oriented programmes, including the facility of health insurance, under which Rs one million was provided to a family for medical treatment; interest-free loan of Rs 500,000 each for 3 million families, interest-free housing loan of Rs 2 million for the poor and middle income classes as well as interest-free loan of Rs 500,000 for farmers.
Imran Khan said in view of the rising inflation, a global phenomenon, his government had introduced the Ehsaas Ration scheme, under which the poor and deserving would get essential food items, including wheat flour, ghee, sugar and pulses at 30% less / subsidized rates.
Similarly, he said, after the cut of Rs 10 at per liter price of petrol and diesel, their prices were cheaper than the UAE.
The prime minister also highlighted rule of law and strong justice system with the accountability of the rich and the poor alike as some of the major pillars of Riasat-e-Madina and said that his government was heading in that direction.
Imran Khan said the objective establishing the Rehmatul Al Alamin Authority was to get the country’s youth aware about the life and teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). A subject of Sunnah had also been added in the curriculum, he added.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan also addressed the public gathering.