'Democratic win' or 'fascism': PTI and PDM trade barbs over Imran's ouster

Pakistan marked the first anniversary of the unceremonious ouster of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan as premier on Sunday after the present ruling coalition voted him out of office.

Gruelling political uncertainty had ended around midnight when the daylong session of the lower house of parliament convened to vote on the no-confidence motion and culminated with the dismissal of Imran Khan, the 22nd prime minister of Pakistan, who became the first chief executive to be removed from office after losing majority in the National Assembly.

Imran’s PTI party, which governed the country for over three-and-a-half years, had been struggling to stay in power as its allies betrayed to join the opposition parties that had joined forces against the government.

Read In pictures: protests against Imran Khan's ouster

While Pakistan’s history has been marred with political instability, no prime minister had ever been removed from office through a no-trust motion.

With the promise to "rebuild Pakistan" the 13-party coalition, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had cheered the development on in 2021 and championed it even after its split.

Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s chairperson and present Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had congratulated the whole nation and the House, “as for the first time in the history of the country, a no-confidence motion has succeeded and we have made history”, claiming that the "selected” who had proved himself to be an “undemocratic burden” on the country saw the end of his rule.

"Democracy is the best revenge,” Bilawal had said.

Echoing similar sentiments today, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Talal Chaudhry extended his felicitations to the nation for "having rid itself of the PTI's reign".

"I congratulate you on attaining freedom from those who emptied the national treasury and left the nation hungry," he said, "from those who stole the public mandate and the traitors who set up minefields in the path of the economy," he said.

"I congratulate you on a year of freedom from the cruel predators who usurped media freedoms, from thieves of wheat, sugar, ghee, medicines, fertilisers, electricity and gas," he added.

Ironically, however, all sins that Chaudhry accused the PTI of having committed were shouted right back at the coalition government as the ousted party termed it "a year of imposed fascism" instead.

In a series of tweets, the PTI lamented the "failures" of the current regime.

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PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that "one year of Pakistan's worst fascist junta, the long dark night that came to end the bright (future) of Pakistan a year ago is still imposed today."

He also expressed hope that "in a few days' time this night will end and power will be transferred to the people".

Meanwhile, another party leader, Shireen Mazari said that "the fascism being spread since the last year is unacceptable and people have sent this clear message repeatedly to Imported government and its handlers".

In another tweet, she condemned the arrest of fellow leader Ali Amin Khan Gandapur saying, "Today in Pakistan a senior political leader gets treated like a terrorist but a person on the Terrorist Watch List gets space on TV channels including official govt channel PTV. Making a complete mockery of the ATA by using it against political opponents".

PTI General-Secretary Asad Umar on the other hand decried the government's failure in grappling with the country's economic woes.

"Never in the history of Pakistan has the growth rate reduced by tenfold in a single year as it has done after the regime change conspiracy," he said, "never in history has Pakistan seen the level of inflation as it has seen in last one year."