Pakistan: Imran Khan Refuses to Quit, Dissolution of Parliament and Fresh Elections on the Cards
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Despite the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan virtually losing the majority in the 342-member National Assembly after defection of two of the government’s key allies, he has decided to keep fighting refusing to be pressurised by the opposition and quit before the voting on the no-confidence motion.
To buy time to finalise his strategy to face the no-confidence motion, the deputy speaker of the Pakistan National Assembly on Thursday adjourned the House till Sunday when the no-trust motion is likely to put to vote and instead of facing the House, the prime minister addressed the nation blaming the entire political move against him to some “foreign conspiracy” to oust his government. Hint apparently was towards the United States which, however, has vehemently denied to have send Khan any letter pressurising him to quit.
Realising that his government had been reduced to a minority, Khan alleged that there is a foreign conspiracy working against his government. There are also enemies inside the country who are cooperating with them. “We are getting messages from some foreign countries… They say that they will forgive Pakistan if Imran Khan goes,” he said in an address to the nation this evening, amid backdoor efforts to reach a deal between the premier and the joint opposition to dissolve the lower house.
Referring to the conspiracy, he alleged that there are messages that “if they fail to oust me, Pakistan will have to face difficult circumstances.” “Three stooges are sitting here working with foreign powers. They want Imran Khan to be ousted and want this certain person to take this place and everything will be fine then,” he added. Referring to the vote of confidence on Sunday, Khan said that was when the “country’s future will be decided” and assured the people that he will “fight till the end.”
“I chose to enter politics to realise the vision of our founders,” he said. “Most people before joining politics are unknown names. But that wasn’t my case. I was endowed with everything… I wouldn’t have entered politics, had Allah not put imaan (faith) in me,” he added. Khan said Pakistan had reached a “defining moment” in its history. “I’m fortunate that God gave me everything-fame, wealth, everything. I don’t need anything today, he gave me everything for which I am very thankful. Pakistan is only 5 years older than me, I’m from the first generation of country to be born after independence.
“As a child, I remember Pakistan rising to the top. South Korea had come to Pakistan to learn how did we progress, Malaysian princes used to study with me in school. Middle East used to come to our universities. I’ve seen all this sinking, seen my country getting insulted. I had a lot of friends in India and the US. I don’t have any ill wills against any one. I just condemn their policies.
“We were told if we don’t back US, they will turn on us like a wounded bear. During 9/11, we said if there’s a terror incident in the US, we should help them but that wasn’t our war to fight. People said that we are US’s collaborators. So many Pakistanis sacrificed their lives, did anyone thank us for that? Did anyone say Shukriya, Pakistan? So many people died in drone attacks, 80 people died after attack in a madrasa.
“After becoming the Prime Minister, I decided that our policy won’t be against anyone. Our only contention with India is when the broke international law in Kashmir. We are getting messages from some foreign countries. This is against our people. They say that they will forgive Pakistan if Imran Khan goes. But it says, if they fail to oust me, Pakistan will have to face difficult circumstances. It says if Imran Khan remains the PM, Pakistan’s ties with them will sour and the nation will have to face difficulties.
“I have always said that we want an independent foreign policy. When you can’t question who’s bombing your country, what’s your credibility? I am not against anyone. But my 22 crore people are my priority. So, Shehbaz Sharif says that I shouldn’t have said “absolutely not”, where were you when there were attacks on the country. A lot of people said that this document (reportedly a threatening letter from the US) is fake. I showed it to the cabinet, Parliament, senior journalists. There are more dangerous things in it, the things I haven’t told you about. This Sunday, there will be a decision if the country will go for a corrupt regime. They say that I have destroyed the country but I have only ruled it for 3 years. I can challenge that what I have done in these past 3.5 years haven’t ever been achieved,” he claimed.
Khan asserted that he would not resign. “I will fight till the last ball. I will wait and see who all will sell their souls on that day. These people are selling themselves, selling the country, its sovereignty. But people are not going to forgive or forget this. They would always remember that you sold your country,” he said.
With Khan virtually losing the majority, backdoor efforts are underway to reach a deal between the premier and the joint opposition to dissolve the lower house. Some highly placed source in the federal government said on Thursday that backdoor talks between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and the joint opposition are underway on the issue of no-confidence motion against Khan.
“Talks are focused on one-point – the joint opposition withdraws the no-trust motion against Khan and in return he dissolves the National Assembly calling for fresh elections,” the source said. “The top man in the establishment may be a guarantor if the understanding (deal) between the opposition and the government reaches,” he added. “If this deal is cut, the new elections will be held in August this year,” he said, adding that since the opposition is not trusting Khan, the guarantor may allay its concerns.
The development comes a day after Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday confirmed a meeting between Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Prime Minister Khan. The powerful army, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 73 plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Thursday that the joint opposition should not give ‘safe package’ to Khan.
“The selected prime minister should resign without any further delay as he has lost majority in the parliament,” he said. But Opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz secretary general Ahsan Iqbal said his party wanted fresh polls forthwith. Iqbal said only fresh polls can steer Pakistan out of current political crisis.
After defection of the government allies – urban Sindh-based MQM-P and Balochistan based Balochistan Awami Party – the opposition has now managed to cross the magical figure of 172 — the minimum number required to form the government at the Centre — and now enjoy the support of 177 members in the National Assembly even without nearly over a dozen dissidents of the ruling PTI, who had already publicly declared the withdrawal of their support to the prime minister.
