BAHAWALPUR/MUZAFFARGARH: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has thrown down the gauntlet to Prime Minister Imran Khan asking him to resign within five days or be ready for a no-confidence move.

“I want free and fair elections immediately. The PM has only two options: resign or face no-confidence move,” he told a charged crowd in Lodhran and Multan on Wednesday night.

On his way to Multan from Rahim Yar Khan, the PPP chairman addressed big gatherings of the participants at Channigoth and Ahmedpur East where he warned the premier that a no-confidence motion would be tabled against him after the marchers reached Islamabad if he (Imran) failed to quit.

He said all parties were united on no-confidence move and this was the victory of the PPP stance. He claimed that the opposition had got the required numbers to send the prime minister packing.

Seeks free and fair elections immediately

He said the prime minister himself should decide about his fate within five days otherwise, “we will decided his fate”. Imran Khan, he reiterated, should dissolve the assemblies and announce fresh elections. He said the government was compelled to cut the prices of petroleum products and electricity due to PPP’s long march.

Bilawal said once the government was sent packing, an interim set-up would be there and the jialayas (diehard activists) would hold the outgoing government accountable.

The PPP long march was more than four hours behind the schedule and thousands of workers and locals waited for the arrival of the participants at Ahmedpur bypass where a warm welcome was accorded to Bilawal’s motorcade.

Earlier, a number of people including charged PPP workers from Channigoth, Tarinda Muhammad Panah, Uch Sharif and Alipur welcomed the long march participants at Channigoth roundabout.

At Lodhran’s Ghausia Chowk, the PPP chairman again slated the prime minister for “committing economic murder of workers and young people (by making them unemployed)”. He said he had opposed the government right from the word go.

“Imran Khan’s presence is harmful for the country and the people, and the democratic process of a no-trust move has been adopted to remove him from the office,” said the PPP leader.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2022