PM says foreign powers conspiring to topple govt

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday claimed that he had written proof of foreign powers’ involvement in trying to topple his government through a no-confidence motion tabled by the country’s joint opposition.

Without specifying any person or the country behind the letter referred to as the ‘evidence’ of his claims, Premier Imran said foreign elements were using local politicians and money to “mend the country’s foreign policy”, saying foreign elements were involved in changing regimes in Pakistan in the past but time had changed now.

“Attempts are being made through foreign money to change the government in Pakistan. Our people are being used, mostly inadvertently, but some are willingly using money against us,” the premier said, adding that he along with foreign minister, among others, knew about the conspiracy for months and also know from what places attempts were being made to exert pressure.

PM Imran said that he rarely writes his speeches but especially wrote one for the party’s “historic” public gathering titled “Amr Bil Maroof” at Islamabad’s Parade Ground amid looming no-trust voting against him in the National Assembly so that he doesn’t get emotional and say things that might affect the country’s foreign policy.

“We have been threatened in writing but we will not compromise on national interest,” he announced before a charged crowed.

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“This is an era of social media. Nothing can be hidden. We will not accept anyone’s dictation. We will have friendships with everyone but we will not become anyone’s slave,” the embattled prime minister said, adding that those who had doubts about the letter could come for off-the-record talk. Expressing how long the nation should continue living like this, PM Imran said that he would further talk about foreign conspiracy at an appropriate time soon.

“Our country received threats due to the acts of previous leaders… the governments in Pakistan had been changed with the help of locals… when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto tried to make independent foreign policy… parties of Fazlur Rehman and ‘absconder’ Nawaz Sharif launched a movement against him and later Bhutto was executed,” the premier claimed.

Throughout his speech, PM Imran continued to lash out at the opposition parties, especially the PPP leadership, saying that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari had formed an alliance with those elements who were involved in the execution of their party founder – Bhutto.

“Today, foreign elements are trying to affect our foreign policy again… we know the elements who united the killers and the victims… today, the time has changed and there is a saying in English you only cross the river once… this is an age of social media where you cannot hide anything,” he reiterated.

“The nation wants to know who the man sitting in London is meeting with and whose directions the characters based in Pakistan are following,” PM said, adding that he had proofs but could not talk more in detail because he had to protect the interest of the country. “I could have told you about it. I do not fear anyone but I care about Pakistan’s interest,” he said.

PM Imran said his government will maintain friendly ties with other states but will never become “a slave to anyone”. In the much-anticipated speech just before the initiation on the no-trust motion, PM Imran hoped that not only the dissident PTI MNAs but the lawmakers belonging to the PPP and the PML-N would also not support the motion against him.

In his marathon speech, PM Imran said he would not spare “corrupt leaders” even if he had to sacrifice his government or his life. Continuing his diatribe against the opposition leaders, PM Imran said, “Three stooges wanted to topple my government to get an NRO and doge accountability.” He vowed that “come what may he will not spare the ‘corrupt leaders’”.

PM Imran once again claimed that he had put the country on the path of becoming a “Madina-like” welfare state. “Previously, it was not possible for a common man to get free treatment at private hospitals… for the first time in the country’s history attempts are being made to lift the downtrodden segment of the society,” said the premier while referring to his government’s social welfare programmes.

“No government in the past has performed like my administration has in the last 3.5 years,” the premier claimed once again. “When the entire world was shut down due to the coronavirus lockdowns… I did not impose the blanket lockdown… I was criticised that I was destroying the country…but today I stand proud that the entire world is acknowledging that we protected the economy as well as people from the pandemic.”

During his speech, PM Imran also discussed his political ideology, listed down his government’s achievements and criticised his opponents for the most part of his speech. He also cited a World Bank report, saying that Pakistan has the lowest unemployment rate in South Asia due to his government’s “prudent policies”.

Premier Imran said all sectors of the country including exports, agriculture and others witnessed a boom during his tenure, adding that after a gap of 50 years, nine mega dams were being constructed in the country.

He said that the government was providing loans to families for housing, technical education and small businesses, announcing that he would further give subsidy and reduce rates of petrol and diesel when the tax collection was increased.

Lamenting that the poor countries were backward because the law was different for the rich and the poor there, he regretted that the rich transferred looted money to their offshore accounts but the poor people were severely punished for committing petty crimes. “Small thieves do not destroy a country the way the big thieves do,” he said.

Referring to Nawaz, Zardari and Fazlur Rehman, Imran alleged that these “three stooges” were looting the country for years and all the ongoing drama is being orchestrated to have Imran Khan surrender like former military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Alleging that the opposition parties’ leaders were trying to “blackmail the government”, he said that Gen Musharraf did great injustice to the country just to save his government when he gave them an NRO – a deal. “Come what may, I will never give them an NRO,” he announced, reiterating that he was ready to sacrifice his government and his life.

Explaining the concept of Amr Bil Maroof, he said that a nation is bound to wage jihad against the evil and support the good, recalling two million people had come out on the streets in the UK during the Iraq war to show the world what an alive nation looks like.

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He maintained that attempts were being made to bribe lawmakers, saying that the opposition parties decided to dislodge the incumbent government on the pretext that Pakistan was being destroyed. “I challenge that no government gave a performance like we did in our three-and-a-half years," he said, throwing down the gauntlet. Citing various examples, he said that countries benefit the most when honest rulers rule it instead of corrupt ones.

He took pride in sharing with the people that the country’s exports had reached a historic high level; it had unprecedented tax collection; incentives were given to agriculture, construction, and industrial sectors; record remittances were received; and textile industry was working at its full capacity and struggling to find labourers.

Also, he said, the international court imposed a fine of Rs2,000 billion a few years ago in the Reko Diq case but his team negotiated with the private mining firm and now they were investing $9 billion in Pakistan, adding that the people of Balochistan would benefit the most from the investment. “Our currency will appreciate… Pakistan will have the largest gold reserves in the world,” he said.

Likewise, Imran said in the rental power project case a penalty of Rs200 billion was imposed on Pakistan but he spoke to the Turkish president and they waived the penalty. Imran had come to speak after the PTI leaders took turns throughout the evening to address the party workers and supporters.

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