LAHORE: The opposition on Wednesday lashed out at Prime Minister Imran Khan for sticking to his “thief mantra” since coming to power over three years ago, saying the “threat” of a no-confidence move had unnerved him.

Both the PML-N and PPP believe Imran Khan is feeling “immense pressure” of their planned anti-government march on Islamabad and a no-trust motion to oust him.

In his speech in Faisalabad on Wednesday, Mr Khan again targeted both the Sharif and Zardari families, saying they desperately wanted him out of power to avoid jails for their alleged corruption cases.

“Imran Khan’s speech in Faisalabad is an open admission of defeat in the no-confidence motion being brought to parliament against him,” PML-N information secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said in response to the premier’s address.

PML-N, PPP claim premier feeling ‘immense pressure’ of their planned anti-govt march, no-trust move

The former information minister congratulated the nation, saying that they would soon be rescued from this “disastrous PTI rule” because Imran Khan himself had announced the success of the no-confidence motion even before it was formally tabled in parliament.

“Imran Niazi’s ouster will save the country and its people from his historical incompetence, corruption and looting,” Ms Aurangzeb said. “Imran Khan desperately tried and miserably failed to come good to his pledge of being dangerous. The nation has recognised the Imran mafia that calls everyone thieves while looting the people and national wealth with both hands. But now his corrupt and evil deeds are about to send him packing. Imran is whining and screaming.”

Chiding the premier on the foreign funding case, the PML-N lawmaker said a sum of Rs500 billion in the accounts of Tahir Iqbal, Arshad, Rafiq and Noman had come from Imran’s foreign funding. “It is necessary to get rid of the patrons of the mafia and cartels like Imran to set Pakistan back on the path of success, progress and development,” she said, adding that the powerful flour, sugar, electricity, gas, medicine and LNG thieves would come under the law once Imran was put behind bars for his alleged crimes.

Ms Aurangzeb said the “corruption of Mr Khan’s own family” would soon be revealed to the people as well.

“Looting by Imran and his touts has already been unearthed and these cases will now be heard in courts,” she said and advised the prime minister to stop making “embarrassing speeches” that were nothing more than a desperate plea for a job extension by a “defeated and frustrated mafia leader”.

PPP’s central information secretary Shazia Marri said Imran Khan had begun his farewell tours to various countries and those who had launched campaigns against former president Asif Ali Zardari would face disgrace and embarrassment.

“The secret of Niazi’s economic growth is only embezzlement in the funds of charity and alms. He has committed big thefts and is involved in mega corruption scams,” she added.

She said a mega government hospital project could be built at the cost of Rs10bn for poor people and even free treatment and salaries of employees could also be released from it, but Imran Khan wanted to close the government hospitals for running his business.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2022