Photo courtesy PID
Information minister claims PTI has support of five members of the opposition, and no-confidence motion is ‘destined to fail’
Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Wednesday urged National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser to convene “as soon as possible” a session of the Lower House requisitioned by the Opposition to debate and vote on a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Addressing a press conference alongside Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, Fawad claimed the prime minister enjoyed the support of a majority of parliamentarians, adding that the no-confidence motion was “destined to fail.” Claiming that the ruling party had the support of 184 members of the National Assembly—five more than the 179 that it currently possesses—he said it was now on the opposition to prove that it had the numbers to succeed.
Accusing the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of “horse trading” in the past, the information minister alleged that PMLN’s Nawaz Sharif and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari were continuing this and “taking this practice to new heights.” He also reiterated his belief that Prime Minister Imran Khan was the “sole challenger” to such activities.
“Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari believe in politics of money and looting and stashing national wealth abroad,” he said and once again alleged—without offering any evidence—that the opposition was trying to “buy” the loyalty of PTI lawmakers.
During his speech Fawad also reiterated the PTI’s allegations—again, offered without any evidence—of the opposition’s no-confidence motion being funded by “foreign forces.” He said the government had now decided not to engage in any kind of talks with the Opposition and would now treat its members as “criminals.”
The energy minister, meanwhile, claimed Khan had put the country’s economy on the path of growth and development. He added that the incumbent government was pursuing an “independent and strategic foreign policy” that was in the national interest.
P.M.’s threats
Earlier, addressing a rally in Karachi, Prime Minister Imran Khan targeted opposition leaders and threatened them with dire consequences for tabling the no-confidence motion against him in the National Assembly.
“My prayers have been answered that they [opposition] have submitted a no-trust resolution, which I sought so I can grab them by their necks,” he said. “It will not only fail, but this time, the kaptaan has prepared a detailed plan for the future. And the first person in my crosshairs is Asif Ali Zardari who has been at the top of my hit-list for a long time. He kills people, uses the police and gangsters. Zardari, your time is over!” he alleged, adding that the PPP co-chairman had been offering PTI MNAs Rs. 200 million each to side with the opposition.
“I have asked our MNAs to take the money he offers and donate it to charity,” he said, while offering no evidence of his claims.
“On the other hand, there is a Maqsood chaprasi wala,” Khan said, while referring to PMLN President Shahbaz Sharif. “Maqsood chaprasi” refers to a worker in Sharif’s sugar mills whose bank account was allegedly used for money laundering by the Sharif family in a long-pending case.
“He is a showbaaz (showman), but, in fact, also a boot polisher (a reference to the PMLN president’s policy of appeasing the establishment). When the court summons him he complains of back pain to avoid making an appearance. Then he makes an excuse that he is suffering from coronavirus. But your time is over! You will be in jail after three months. And the money your son and son-in-law have stashed overseas will be brought back to provide relief to the people of Pakistan,” he said.
Finally, the prime minister also mocked the JUIF’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman, saying he would not call him a ‘maulana’ and would only refer to him as “diesel” and “Fazloo.” Alleging he had received foreign funding, Khan said: “He [Fazl] has assets worth billions of rupees and no one knows their source because he doesn’t do anything. When the NAB summoned him, he threatened he would bring his 2,000 workers on the roads; he threatened the organization. But let me tell you Fazloo, once this no-confidence fails and NAB summons you, I will bring a hundred thousand workers for your 2,000!”