Shehbaz terms Imran's play 'unconstitutional power-grab'

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif likened interim prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, terming the ruling party’s decisions to dissolve the National Assembly and dismiss the vote of no-confidence as an unconstitutional power-grab.

“Nazi Hitler prevailed to dissolve the Reichstag [German Parliament] and thereby solidified his position by abrogating the Constitution and ending the Weimar Republic- Imran Niazi is doing the same in Pakistan,” he said.

Addressing a press conference at the Supreme Court premises, the PML-N leader stated that April 3 would be remembered as the day the Constitution was sabotaged and trampled upon, adding that Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri’s attempt to issue the PM a stay-order by dismissing the no-trust motion was unconstitutional.

The opposition leader claimed that Imran Khan acted through the deputy speaker to have the no-confidence motion dismissed and urged the National Security Council (NSC) to bring forth the minutes of the meeting regarding the diplomatic cable accusing the opposition of conspiring against the premier.

Shehbaz Shairf upheld that the opposition would challenge the unconstitutional actions of the ruling party on all platforms.

The PML-N leader harshly criticised the premier, calling him a "liar" and a "fraud", stating that the country could only be “saved” if the Constitution was respected.

Shehbaz hoped that the Supreme Court would protect the Constitution and provide a swift decision. “The entire nation is looking towards the apex court,” he added.

Referring to the PML-N’s Punjab Assembly “session” held on Wednesday at a private hotel, Shehbaz Shairf claimed that Hamza Shahbaz had been ‘elected’ as Punjab chief minister with 199 votes.

The opposition leader expressed his gratitude to the Jahangir Tareen and Aleem Khan groups for their support.