'Crooks, traitors falling in trap', PM assures PTI workers, supporters

Amid political turmoil in the country, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday shared a message for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and supporters, assuring them that “the crooks and traitors of our country are falling in a trap”.

"Message to my workers and supporters: The crooks and traitors of our country are falling in a trap," the premier wrote on his official Twitter handle along with a quote from renowned Sufi saint and Persian poet Shams Tabrizi.

The premier's remarks came at a time when the political temperature was at an all-time high in recent years with opposition gearing up to oust PM Imran via a no-trust vote.

Read more: Opposition threatens to block OIC moot if no no-trust vote delayed

Several of PM Imran's lawmakers withdrew their support for him, stoking more uncertainty over whether the former cricket star can hang on to power, following a warning by a key ally that the premier could lose his coalition partners.

Earlier in the day, PM Imran expressed hope that most of the dissenting lawmakers of the ruling PTI would return to their party before the no-trust vote against him in National Assembly.

“I can see the growing public anger over horse-trading… most of them will return to the party because they are watching this public reaction,” he said while referring to the yesterday’s incident wherein PTI activists stormed the Sindh House in Islamabad in protest against the dissident members of the ruling party, who were staying inside the building.

He also advised the party workers to hold peaceful demonstrations and avoid confrontation with the opposition parties, adding that it was necessary for the public to differentiate between good and bad.

“Some of our people got emotional and reached Sindh House. I tell them that peaceful protest is their legal right but don't resort to violence,” he remarked.

Later in the day, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari threatened to block Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) conference, scheduled to take place on March 22-23 in Islamabad, if no-trust vote against PM is delayed by the National Assembly speaker.

"We want Monday's session to start with no-confidence motion but if it is not summoned by Monday then we will stage a sit-in the house... we will then see how you will be able to organise the OIC conference," Bilawal said at a joint press conference, held following a meeting of the opposition leaders at Shehbaz's residence in Islamabad.

Also read: PTI issues show-cause notices to dissident lawmakers

Under the country's floor-crossing law, parliamentarians who defect could lose their seats if they then choose to vote against their party, but what Imran's government is trying to see is whether that is also applicable before they cast votes.

"You know only murder isn't a crime, an attempted murder is also a crime," Reuters quoted a minister as saying earlier.

The opposition blames PM Imran for mismanaging the country, economy and foreign policy. No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed his term in office.

Without the coalition partners and the dissidents, PM Imran's party, which has 155 seats in the lower house, would fall short of the 172 needed to retain power. The joint opposition has strength of nearly 163 in the lower house.