ISLAMABAD   -   Pakistan People’s Party chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari yesterday lashed out at Prime Minister Imran Khan as the political tension got bitter amid the opposition’s no-confidence motion against the PM. The opposition has submitted a no-confidence motion against PM Khan and claims to have the backing of more than the simple majority members in the National Assembly.

The assembly session is yet to be called but all the major political parties of the country are burning the midnight oil to ensure their victory on the D-day.

Ahead of the voting in the National Assembly, PM Khan, PPP chief Bialwal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Shehbaz Sharif and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman have engaged in a war of words.

While Imran Khan has warned the opposition of tough time after the ‘failure’ of the no-confidence motion, the opposition leaders have challenged him to do whatever he can.

Speaking at a news conference yesterday, PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that since the Awami march started on 27 February, there have been two incidents which were unbearable and cannot be tolerated.

“The attack on Aseefa (Bhutto Zardari) Bibi is unbearable. I have shown patience because I believe in freedom of the media. I watched the video in every way, from every angle. It did not look like an accident. The attack, which hit my sister directly, was a message to us. It was a message for me and my father regarding us working for the restoration of democracy,” he claimed.

The PPP, he said, had sacrificed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Mir Murtaza Bhutto, Shahnawaz Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto. “Now, no more. The Prime Minister is threatening (Asif Ali) Zardari with a gun. The PM says we are children. I am no more a child,” he added.

Bilawal urged the government agencies including the Inter-Services Intelligence to investigate the Aseefa incident. He said all cases against Zardari were heard in the court during the tenure of former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“Asif Ali Zardari was honourably acquitted of all these false cases. Imran Khan is facing a foreign funding case,” he said.

He said Akbar S. Babar was his party’s main member who has exposed the PTI’s foreign funding. He reminded that a US court had given a verdict against Imran Khan in a paternity case.

Bilawal said that he had tolerated a lot but will not stay silent anymore.

“I have the blood of Asif Ali Zardari, Benazir Bhutto and Shaheed Quaid-e-Awam (Zulfikar Ali Bhutto) in my veins. Now, we will not tolerate a single thing. No one will be able to bear our reaction. Politics is everyone’s right but hurling threats to life will not be tolerated. This is a modern country, we are living in 2022 and have the right to do politics peacefully. We hope that the environment will be kept peaceful. If Imran Khan wants to fight, he will face the consequences. We also know how to use guns,” he said.

Bilawal reminded that he had said at the long march that Imran Khan will become desperate as “we near Islamabad and will start using foul language more and more.”

He added: “Abuse will neither save his chair nor will his lies work. After being in the government for 3 years, he (PM Khan) says that Zardari and the PPP are his target. This PPP has always been the target of people like him. In every era, we have talked about the rights of the people and saved the country. The PPP fought him from the day one,” he said.

The people of all the provinces were involved in this long march and rejected this Prime Minister. “Now that the PPP has done its job, it is the responsibility of the parliament. Now, we have to fulfil the expectations of the people,” he said.

Bilawal said the attitude of the government had helped the PPP in tabling this no-confidence motion because this government was being run dictatorially. “It would be better for the government’s allies to come with us as it will give a very good message,” the PM said.

Regarding what would happen after dislodging the government, he said that the new government will be formed just for carrying out electoral reforms after which free and fair elections will be held.

He said that due to the pressure of the PPP’s historic Awami march, Imran Khan had to reduced petrol and electricity prices.

He said that there was only one Nadeem Afzal Chan in Pakistan whereas Fawad Chaudhary can be “found in any market.”

Bilawal said the government’s effort to interpret the constitution was childish. “This is the no-confidence and will not be the same as the Chairman Senate elections. The constitution is very clear about when a person is disqualified. Who is with and against Imran Khan will be apparent to all. Imran Khan will not be able to rig this no-confidence. His efforts are desperate and will not work,” he said.