PML-N spokeswoman Marriyum Aurangzeb on Monday hit back at Prime Minister Imran Khan for his diatribe against the PML-N leadership in a live television show a day ago, saying the premier's comments were "full of fear and hopelessness" and implied that his "departure" was near.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Aurangzeb chastised the premier for "pushing the country into inflation and poverty", saying he should immediately resign "as his incompetence is costing Pakistan a lot".

Prime Minister Imran Khan had on Sunday taken questions from the general public while on air for a live television programme. During the show, the premier said he was ready to speak to anyone but would not reconcile with criminals, alluding to the opposition, claiming that talking to them would be akin to betraying the country.

He had also dubbed PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif "the nation's criminal", saying the former Punjab chief minister had still not provided answers in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case and urged the court to decide the matter at the earliest through daily hearings.

Responding to his diatribe, Aurangzeb said Imran feared that Nawaz and Shehbaz were the only leaders capable of steering the country out of crisis, "hence he subjected them to political vendetta and resorted to every tactic he could use to demean them."

"How dare you call Shehbaz Sharif a criminal?" she asked, adding that the PTI government was relaunching projects conceived by Shehbaz as the chief minister of Punjab.

She accused the prime minister of laundering money through 26 undeclared bank accounts and asked him to tell the public "real details" of the foreign funding case, claiming that his party could not submit a single document for six years.

She said PM Imran should not try to become a political martyr. "Do not shift the blame on institutions for the current crisis because of your own incompetence."

'We will use all tactics to dethrone you'

Aurangzeb said her party would resort to all "public and political tactics" to oust PM Imran from power.

"We will not just dislodge you from power, but we will pull you from the ear for what you have to the masses," she claimed.

The PML-N leader said the prime minister would only face the public's anger if he took to the streets. She was referring to the premier's response to a caller yesterday, during which he warned his opponents that he would be a greater threat to them if he was out of power.

“If I exit the government, I will pose a greater threat to you. Right now, I am sitting quietly in my office and watching the drama unfold. But if I take to the streets, you will have nowhere to hide,” PM Imran had said.