From Our Correspondent
LAHORE: As the war of words heats up between the government and the opposition in the run-up to the no-confidence motion, Leader of the Opposition and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan has “lost his mental balance” and the same can be determined by his recent statements.
Shehbaz passed these remarks during an interaction with media personnel outside the a special court in Lahore, where he was to attend case proceedings in his alleged money laundering case registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
“PM Khan has not only damaged the Kashmir cause but has also pushed the country into a corner,” the opposition leader said further.
Regarding the no-confidence motion filed against the premier, Shehbaz said he was confident in the outcome and claimed that “all political parties are united for the motion to get rid of the ruling party which has caused the prevailing crises, damaging the country’s economy”.
“We have faced forged cases registered against us all and these are cowardly moves made by the prime minister to humiliate us but we did not succumb because we are in the right”, Shehbaz claimed further.
The leader furthered that PM Imran’s statements in recent days, “clearly show his fear”, adding that the premier’s “legs are trembling”.
On March 8, PTI leaders and federal ministers vowed to thwart the opposition’s attempt to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan through a no-confidence motion, which was submitted in the National Assembly Secretariat.
In a statement, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said filing a no-trust motion was the opposition parties’ constitutional right but added that the ruling party along with its coalition partners will defeat the opponents in the “political battle”.
“Imran Khan is an elected prime minister who came into power through a huge public mandate in 2018 elections,” he maintained.
FM Qureshi said he discussed the matter of no-confidence vote with the premier and it had been decided that the ruling party will make all-out efforts to foil the opposition’s move.
Earlier, on March 7, sources said that the prime minister, who chaired the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) core committee meeting, assured the party that there was nothing to be worried about as “there is no threat to the democratic government”.
Surprisingly, the no-confidence motion has put everything on the back burner, including the weekly federal cabinet meeting. Noticeably, the premier has lately been so busy in turning the tables on the opposition that he has once again postponed the federal cabinet’s meeting – making it the third consecutive Tuesday without having to hear what the cabinet has to collectively say in these testing times.
