Prime Minister Imran Khan revealed on Friday that the “Establishment” gave him three options –no-confidence motion, resignation from his post, or fresh elections.
Speaking to a private news channel, he said that he would “not resign from the office despite losing the majority in the National Assembly.”
The PM said that the opposition would not be able to run the government and it would be better if early elections are held.
Coming on the no-confidence motion, the premier said that he would come up with “another surprise” on Sunday when the National Assembly meets to vote on the no-trust motion.
“A captain never shares his strategy, but I reiterate that this [no-confidence motion] is a major international conspiracy,” PM Imran maintained.
About the alleged threatening memo, he said that the “letter” sent by a foreign country had said that until he is in power, bilateral ties cannot move ahead.
Even though PM Imran did not share the name of the country in this conversation, he had an apparent “slip of the tongue” on Sunday during a televised address during which he had said it was the United States that had conspired against him.
“Our envoy was told that Imran Khan is unacceptable and should be removed. [He] was told that bilateral relations will be looked at after the removal of Prime Minister Imran Khan,” said the premier.
PM Imran said that the envoy was told that Russia’s visit was Imran Khan’s personal decision.
There was a “threat to his life because of the threatening memo,” he added.
The premier said that the contents of the letter were also shared in the National Security Committee meeting.
“I raised the matter at the right forum at the right time,” the premier maintained.
The premier said that he learned about the threat to his life and the “game” being played against him in August 2021.
“Planning was being done in London according to agencies’ report,” said PM Imran, adding that he also has “all the reports” regarding which person visits which embassy.
“I have all the reports of politicians, journalists and anchor persons who frequent different embassies. I knew of the conspiracy as I have all the reports,” the prime minister said.
Taking a jibe at the PML-N, the premier then said that the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz “openly opposed the army.”
“The PML-N supremo also started buying judges by offering them plots,” he alleged. “Their aim is to come in power and abolish the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) so that they could get away with their wrongdoing,” claimed PM Imran.
He added that once the PML-N comes to power, it would end the former premier’s lifetime disqualification and restore Nawaz.
“If I wanted to save my government, I would have given an NRO to the opposition on the first day,” said PM Imran.
Taking a jibe at the opposition parties’ tenures and their policy regarding the US drone attacks during the war on terror.
“If Imran Khan wins the no-confidence motion, then there will be difficulties. If Imran Khan loses, then Pakistan will be forgiven,” said PM Imran.
The premier said that he would “never go against Pakistan Army, adding that he does not want the military to become controversial at any point.
“I will never speak against the army,” said PM Imran, adding that Pakistan needed a strong army for its survival.
The premier said that had there never been a “strong army, then the country would have been divided into three parts”.
“We are safe because of our army,” said PM Imran.
PM Imran said that when the opposition would come into power, they would launch character assassination against him.
“My wife does not leave the house, yet a campaign was initiated against her. There is a threat to my life and my character will be defamed,” PM Imran Khan foretold.
Talking about former chief minister of Punjab Usman Buzdar’s resignation, PM Imran said that he had decided to remove him following a “political understanding”.
Earlier on Friday, Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar had accepted resignation of Usman Buzdar.
Following the acceptance of his resignation, the Punjab cabinet has also been dissolved. PM Imran had asked Buzdar to resign after he opted to nominate Pervaiz Elahi as his candidate for the chief minister.
