Daily Times

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday challenged media organisations, economists and opposition parties to debate with the government over its performance in the last 3.5 years, saying that nobody served Pakistan like the PTI government did.

“I challenge media, economists and opposition parties to hold a public debate over my government’s performance during the last three-and-a-half years,” the prime minister said in his address to the convention of overseas Pakistanis in Islamabad.

PM Imran maintained that no government in the past had performed better than his administration given the “unprecedented challenges” such as Covid-19 pandemic. He said the opposition parties had been taking turns in governing Pakistan during the last 30 years but the PTI government would “prove” that it had brought improvements which no other party had. “I challenge the entire opposition to compete with us in anything. We are ahead of you … our government tried for the first time to elevate the lower class, there were no attempts in the past.

“[Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana] Fazlur Rehman sold religion for 30 years,” he thundered. “In my 3.5 years, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has said you cannot disrespect Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) in the name of freedom of expression. [Canadian Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau has given a statement [against Islamophobia]. This has happened for the first time.” The premier said there had been a debate at the United Nations and a resolution was passed against Islamophobia, adding that it was “because of us” and how the government raised the matter at different forums.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said the entire nation was ready to go down with him rather than supporting the “three stooges”, as he slammed the opposition amid rising political tensions due to the no-confidence motion. “When the people saw the faces of the three stooges – PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari – they decided against supporting them and expressed their desire to go down with [me].” The prime minister thanked the opposition for moving the no-confidence motion as through this, his party had strengthened, with people all-geared up for the March 27 rally – which is expected to take place at D-Chowk just a day before the National Assembly votes on the no-trust motion.

PM Imran Khan also thanked the Opposition “wholeheartedly” as they had made people forget the rates of potatoes and tomatoes. Imran Khan said the Opposition leaders were under the “false impression that the people had forgotten their corruption”, but they were wrong as now, they had fallen into the “captain’s trap”. “I predict that not only is their no-confidence motion going to fail, but they will taste defeat in the 2023 general elections as well,” he said, foreseeing his party’s triumph in the polls. The premier said 100 drone strikes had been conducted in Pakistan during the governments of Nawaz Sharif and Zardari and PTI leaders had staged sit-ins to protest but “they had no shame”.

“You (Nawaz and Zardari) should have at least said that no law in the world allows anyone to play the role of judge, jury and executioner,” he said, stressing “never have I been anti-America, anti-Britain, anti-India”. Only an uneducated man would be against a country, he elaborated, adding that he was against their policies. “I was against the war on terror from day one and I will remain so.” He also mentioned India’s “Hindutva” policy, expressing the wish that a “better government” comes to power in the neighbouring country that would grant rights to Kashmiris.