RAWALPINDI: Ruling out any chance of in-house change in the National Assembly, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Sunday said Prime Minister Imran Khan would complete his constitutional tenure.

Speaking during an inspection visit to the incomplete Mother and Child Hospital (M&CH), Mr Ahmed said the health ministry and all other relevant departments would be contacted to expedite work on the hospital.

“There is no threat to the PTI government from the opposition’s long marches,” he said, adding that the government would present a people-friendly budget in the next fiscal year.

Talking about opposition leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif’s remarks, the minister said PM Khan was not a “scary but sweet dream for him”, adding that Nawaz Sharif had left the country for personal interests.

If the opposition tabled a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan, it would face the same destiny as it did in the passing of the finance bill, Mr Ahmed said, adding that 12 members of the opposition were absent from the National Assembly during the last session.

“This figure would go up to 26 if a no-confidence motion was put forward,” he said.

The minister said this year on March 23, the Chinese J-10C would participate in the flying pass and more people would attend the Pakistan Day parade than the opposition party’s long marches.

Answering a query, he denounced the impression of any deal with Nawaz Sharif and said there was no division in the treasury benches upon the leadership of PM Khan.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2022