Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Thursday called the Opposition leaders Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Shehbaz Sharif, and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari the “three stooges”, referring to a classic American program. He told party members the Opposition’s no-trust move was a “blessing” as it had “lifted” the entire party and now all ready to ready for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally.
Addressing the Pakistan Overseas Convention in Islamabad he said, “When the people saw the faces of the three stooges — they decided against supporting them and expressed their desire to go down with [me],” PM Khan.
I challenge media, economists, and Opposition parties to debate with govt over performance
PM Khan challenged media organisations, economists, and Opposition parties to debate with the government over its performance in the last three and half years, saying that “nobody served Pakistan as we did”.
“[Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana] Fazlur Rehman sold religion for 30 years,” he thundered. “In my 3.5 years, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has said you cannot disrespect Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) in the name of freedom of expression. [Canadian Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau has given a statement [against Islamophobia]. This has happened for the first time.”
The premier said there had been a debate at the United Nations and a resolution would be passed against Islamophobia, adding that it was “because of us” and how the government raised the matter at different forums.
The premier said that the Opposition parties had been taking turns in governing Pakistan during the last 30 years but the PTI government would “prove” that it had built the nation.
They cannot defeat us: PM Khan
The premier said he and his team were always trying to figure out ways to reduce the impact of inflation on the masses, but after the Opposition’s no-confidence motion, the focus shifted to mainstream politics rather than inflation.
PM Khan said neither of the three parties — PPP, PML-N, and JUI-F — worked at the grass-root levels and did “actual politics”, while the PTI struggled for more than two decades to get to where it is today. “They cannot defeat us.”
“Nawaz became the chief minister through General Jilani; Shehbaz, who used to give bribes to get his work done, Zardari became the president by ‘showing’ a fake paper; Fazl has been selling the religion from the last 30 years,” he said.
If they are the ones to save Pakistan, it is better to drown with Imran Khan
“I was thinking of how the country changed suddenly in 10 days, inflation was forgotten and my entire party was lifted.”
All the Opposition politicians used to call each other corrupt, he said, thanking them for coming together so the nation could see that “if they are the ones to save Pakistan, it is better to drown with Imran Khan”.
The premier said that PTI had risen from the grassroots which is why the Opposition parties could not compete with it.
Fallen into captains trap
PM Imran Khan said the Opposition leaders were under the “false impression that the people had forgotten their corruption”, but they were wrong as now, they had fallen into the “captain’s trap”.
“I predict that not only is their no-confidence motion going to fail, but they will taste defeat in the 2023 general elections as well,” he said, foreseeing his party’s triumph in the polls.
PM Khan said due to the corruption of the politicians, the country had become a “slave” to the foreign powers. “When our then prime minister [Nawaz Sharif] met then US president Barack Obama, his legs were shaking as he was cautious against saying something his ‘master’ might feel bad”.
“Because they know [those countries] can catch their [corrupt Pakistani politicians’] money laundering whenever they want,” the prime minister said.
Not anti-US, UK and India
“You [Nawaz and Zardari] should have at least said that no law in the world allows anyone to play the role of judge, jury, and executioner,” he said, stressing “never have I been anti-American, anti-Britain or anti-India”.
“I pray that a sensible leadership comes into power in India so that we can hold talks with them after revoking the August 5, 2019, decision on Kashmir.”
Only an uneducated man would be against a country, he elaborated, adding that he was against their policies. “I was against the war on terror from day one and I will remain so.”
The premier said 100 drone strikes had been conducted in Pakistan during the governments of Nawaz Sharif and Zardari and PTI leaders had staged sit-ins to protest but “they had no shame”.
He also mentioned India’s “Hindutva” policy, expressing the wish that a “better government” comes to power in the neighbouring country that would grant rights to Kashmiris.
Pakistan military was the reason behind the country’s stability
The Pakistan military was the reason behind the country’s stability, as he gave an example of other Muslim countries — Libya, Syria, and Yemen — where the situation was dismal.
Noting that despite having differences with former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, PM Imran Khan lauded him and acknowledged that he was a self-reliant leader.
